


The Rise of a True Champion

by AuricRebel



Category: Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity (Video Game), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Childhood Friends, F/M, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Mild Smut, Moral Dilemmas, Prequel, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-20
Updated: 2021-02-27
Packaged: 2021-03-18 20:00:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 30,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28872708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuricRebel/pseuds/AuricRebel
Summary: Contrary to popular belief, Link did not so easily agree to being a Champion.The Hero hidden deep inside of him was frequently tormented by his single worst fear: His own past. And just when the situation seemed to be most dire, ghosts of bygone days came back to haunt not only him, but the rest of Hyrule as well. This time was different, though; he wasn't alone. His fellow Champions now were here to support him in such dark times, especially a certain Red Zora who had so fondly watched him grow up. Could they all prove to Hyrule the danger and grim reality of the future Calamity?
Relationships: Link/Mipha (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 19
Kudos: 55





	1. Maelstrom

It had been some time since Link had last seen Mipha.

Or any other of the Champions for that matter.

He had just been offered a place amongst them, as well as an invitation to take part in Hyrule’s Royal Guard; both invites were dealt by none other than King Rhoam himself.Link had been notified by a Sheikah warrior that “someone” was urgently expecting him in the castle’s docks. He would have never imagined that with “someone” the Sheikah had actually meant “His Royal Majesty”. Strangely, the King was not wearing his usual formal attire, and had chosen a peculiarly shady location and time to meet with him.

Turns out Rhoam wanted to make sure his proposal was as discreet as possible, with only he, his daughter and the other Champions being aware of it; he didn’t wish for social pressure to cloud Link’s judgement and force him into an answer, whether it were yes or no.

Besides, if people were to find out that he had rationally declined an invitation to join the Champions… Well, no other possible uproar could be more assured.

_The early morning rays glistened in the sword’s surface; Link had just finished polishing it, a task he was accustomed to repeat every day. Seeing his work completed, he swiftly equipped it, strapping the sword into his back. It was just the beginning of a challenging day._

Link had given no small amount of thought to his new possible jobs. Such positions were amongst the most honorable and respected in all of Hyrule. He knew, however, that accepting either offer implied burdening his shoulders with a great responsibility, one that he just wasn’t ready to live up with.

Or that's what he told himself anyway. Link was no stranger to big responsibilities, and he knew it. A part of himself was sure that deeper, subconscious conflicts were the culprits to his hesitancy, conflicts that he had yet to consciously face.

Although… Link did have some idea as to what those conflicts could be related to.

He wasn't keen on revisiting those memories, though.

_There was a mess in the chest laid open before him, his belongings scattered everywhere; he annoyingly began looking deep into the insides, hastefully deciding what was best to take for his trip. There was no time to lose._

Goddesses, how much he hated being in such a position. He prefered facing physical threats by a long shot; they involved less thinking and more acting, reacting.

"Heh..."

A wistful yet strained laugh came with this thought; maybe he was finally beginning to understand why Mipha had so playfully -and repeatedly- called him "a rash, impetuous boy" in the past. His dear Zora friend would have a blast if she knew that he was starting to realize just how inadvertently reckless he was.

Link played the scene in his head: _“Well, it took you long enough” would be her answer, said with a sarcastical yet delighted tone, her eyes looking directly into his soul, his real him; her ice-melting smile shining even whilst hidden behind a single, gracious hand; her radiance naturally harmonizing with the beauty of the Domain. An absolute and supreme magnum opus, as far as he was concerned._

“GAAH!”

_His idealized world instantly fell apart when he felt a sudden, numbing pain in his left hand; he himself had just stupidly crushed his fingers while closing the chest._

He quickly shook both his pain and his fantasy world away. Link knew that his was a decision that needed to be made with absolutely no mistakes nor second thoughts, and so no distractions were allowed into his mind.

No matter how heartwarming they may be.

Or painful.

_He carefully inspected the bags now resting on the bed of his quarters. A cloak, several cooking utensils, a map, ropes, a knife, flint, a blank book… Yes, he felt ready to go. Time to close the bags and carry them outside._

But deciding whether or not to join The Champions and the Royal Guard was not a decision to be made in a rush. He was aware that such a monumental dilemma would take some time to be solved, more time than he was willing to admit.

Thankfully, His Royal Majesty must have noticed his surprise and hesitation towards his proposal, for he had not given Link a precise date nor a deadline as to when he had to deliver his answer. _"I am aware of the magnitude of the proposition I'm offering you, but we are in dire need of a Champion of our own, and recent events have made clear that you out of all the Knight Captains I possess on my disposal have the greatest potential to fulfill the role of both a Champion and the Captain of the Royal Guard. I’m willing to give you plenty of chance to think about this." The moonlit monarch then switched to a more stern voice. “But I’d much rather prefer for you to give me your answer sooner than later.”_

The troubled knight had hoped to quickly come up with an answer, one that took into account both his feelings towards the offer and -more importantly- the rest of Hyrule's wellbeing. That is what mattered most to him.

He had always been a truly selfless person. He was very used to suppressing his own opinions and feelings towards certain jobs or tasks for other people's sake -mainly for the Royal Family. After all, he was a knight. And that's what knights do… right? "Put their own matters into hold, first doing things for the greater good, inspiring a sense of justice and self-righteousness into the hearts of all the inhabitants of Hyrule."

Or that's what he liked to believe, anyway. It could sound a bit childish and way too idyllic to the average person, but it comforted Link. It made being a knight much more enjoyable. That isn't to say he disliked it, though; he was enamored by it! ...There just were times when being a knight was incredibly challenging. Mentally and physically.

Waking up was the worst part. There were some early mornings where he could barely get off of bed, the aching of his muscles begging him to come back to the sacred haven that were his pillow and sheets. He always thought it was funny how _that_ was the hardest part of being a knight.

He would never admit it, obviously. If asked, he surely would give another dumb, idyllic answer, something along the lines of "keeping all of Hyrule's safety".

And everyone would buy that, surely.

_The Sun had now fully risen, extinguishing all of the remaining pink and orange tones from the early morning. Link walked all the way from his quarters to Hyrule Castle’s stable, carrying his fully loaded bags in an unintentionally impressive display of strength. His mind was paying little to no interest to his surroundings, though; a seemingly endless surge of thoughts was numbing all of his senses._

Thinking back and reliving all of his past life in a blink of an eye, Link concluded that he actually liked being a knight. A lot. It would be very hard for him to give up that life, even if it meant he'd undoubtedly become the Hylian Champion.

Most importantly, though... Being a knight was a way of honouring the memory of his father.

After all, he was the reason he became a knight in the first place.

Link had no idea as to who or where he'd be without his primogenitor's guidance. It had been his salvation, his only light in a fog-infested life. _Well, his_ _second_ _light._

He needed to repay him somehow. He had to show him his gratitude. Even if he was no longer around to appreciate it.

It truly was a harsh coincidence for the King's proposal to have been made so close to his father's birthday. The Champions and the Royal Family would have to excuse him, but Link wasn't going to postpone or cancel his yearly visit to his old man's grave. Not even if it got his phenomenal offer cancelled.

Not even if it endangered his current relationship with His Majesty and the Champions.

_The vigorous galloping echoed through the castle’s entrance; even Link looked down to his horse in awe, making sure to pet her affectionately, caressing her silky mane. She definitely was going to get her fill of apples and endura carrots._

_He soon was out of Castle Town; the green, lushy grasslands of Hyrule Field never failed to amaze him. He knew he’d have plenty of sights to behold in the coming days; he found no small amount of comfort in this information. Whilst Link continued to take in all of the beauty expanding in front of him, his trusty steed kept directing him straight South._

Taking into consideration rest time for his horse, minimal monster encounters, time for sleeping and much needed meals, Link estimated that he would be back in about fifteen days -if he was lucky. He couldn’t possibly predict nor control random events like bad weather or accidents.

He just hoped for everything to go perfectly.

Sadly, the reality is that hardly anything went _that_ swiftly when it came to him. He had never possessed the best of luck.

Facing the wilderness with his eyes closed, he sent out a silent prayer to the skies.

Perhaps today someone would answer his plea and concede him a bit of fortune.

Goddesses, he needed it now more than ever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading this far! I don't know if you have realized already -hopefully not- but this is my first fanfic. It is not going to be too extense, but I do hope to cover many themes and plots as the story goes on.
> 
> I'll make the ride as smooth and enjoyable as possible. That I can promise.
> 
> An update will be coming soon. See you until then.


	2. Without a Trace

"So… are there any other news 'bout our Little Guy?"

"If there were, we wouldn't be here uselessly idling around while waiting for him, would we?"

Revali was quick to voice his displeasure. Not only was the knight-wannabe invited to join them, but their official inauguration as Champions of Hyrule was put on hold for _his_ sake. _His Majesty expects far too much from the likes of him,_ he thought.

Ignoring the rito's annoyance, Princess Zelda turned to Daruk and properly answered his question.

"No. Knight Link has yet to return, and we still don't have much information as to where he could have gone."

The Champions had been called to Hyrule Castle with the purpose of discussing the current situation of their respective tribes. Hopefully, they could provide new evidence and reports that proved that the fortuneteller's ominous warning was, indeed, a certain warning of the resurrection of Ganon, the Calamity.

At least that was the official and original intention for their reunion. It wasn't long before the topic of Link's sudden disappearance -and possible titling as the Hylian Champion- came into question.

While discussing the topics, the Princess tried hard to hide the disappointment in her voice; Link was one of the very few people who had taken the Calamity's prophecy seriously. She may know next to nothing about him personally, but that fact alone had warranted her respect. Maybe with him being part of the Champions more people would finally start believing in the dark and serious threat that was looming over all of Hyrule; all of those coincidences and similarities she had so devotedly studied between legends of doom-driven heroes and forgotten kingdoms simply couldn't be lies.

But apparently Link didn't care much for her and the Champions, as he seemed to have curiously vanished days after being offered a place amongst them. Could he really be that cruel as to leave them all in such unbridled suspense, not even deigning to explicitly state his answer nor his reasonings?

She was going to have none of it.

During the time that Zelda zoned out of the conversation, her Champions had bickered a bit about what was next for them to do. Daruk and Mipha had no issue with holding back the formalities; after all, they still were Champions at heart. No honorary titles or fancy attire would change that. Revali, of course, couldn't fathom the idea of being around them any longer without being given his title, a title that would oh so deservingly recognize the service he was giving to the Kingdom of Hyrule. Without it, he almost felt as though he were working for free, gifting his precious talents away.

Urbosa had been instead focusing on her Little Bird, who had said nothing more whilst hazily staring at the floor with a calm face. She hadn't even noticed Urbosa's obvious staring.

The Princess could fool all of Hyrule's Royal Court and the entirety of the Sheikah tribe with her polite, untroubled facade, but it didn't fool her. She wasn't feeling as confident as she would like them to believe.

The Gerudo could see through her as if she were her own child.

And in a way, she _was_ her child. Since the tragic death of the Queen of Hyrule, she took it upon herself to take good care of the Princess, always maintaining a tremendously protective and maternal attitude towards her. Such attention and protectiveness could sometimes slightly annoy Zelda, but she was _extremely_ grateful to her nonetheless. She possessed several parental qualities that her father, King Rhoam, lacked. Urbosa could always see and understand her doubts, as well as help her get through them.

This time was no different.

The Gerudo Champion carefully began to approach her, not wanting to break her out of her thoughts too harshly.

When Zelda finally noticed her, she spoke up with an easing tone.

"Worry not, Princess. We both know Link: he couldn't have escaped from his sense of duty that easily. He'll show up, I've no doubt about that. Just give him time." She carefully eyed her dear Princess. Her face had lost her calm facade and now seemed to be processing her words.

_Hm… Being objective, he does have a remarkable will to fulfill his orders and has always exceeded his superiors' expectations. Or that much I could gather from the reports I've read. I suppose I can spare him some time to make up his mind… It's not like I have many other choices anyway._

"Yes… At least that I can give to him; he has always possessed a great sense of responsibility. Thank you, Urbosa."

Urbosa simply nodded. While Zelda's doubts hadn't been totally disarmed, they diminished a bit. That could do for the moment.

She also noted that the rest of the Champions were now all awfully quiet. Were they all really equally troubled?

Daruk was slowly caressing his beard, concern apparent on his face. However, his concern wasn't for the situation of the Champions, per se; it was concern for the safety of his missing Hylian friend. The Gerudo Chief thought this to be endearing; she had never seen such a fraternal relationship between a goron and a hylian before. It was especially endearing considering that the goron in question was one of the fiercest and biggest warriors she had ever met. _How did those two ever come to know each other?_ She sincerely wondered. She supposed it would be an interesting topic of conversation -for another time. Right now, there were more important matters at hand.

Daruk soon noticed Urbosa's staring; he shifted his weight uncomfortably under her gaze, throwing her an inquisitive look. She responded with a knowing yet wry grin. “Link can take care of himself, you know.”

The goron then realized that she had just deciphered what was going through his mind.

_Man, she really can see through us all, can't she?_ _Or am I that easy to read?_ He mused, with a short, lighthearted laugh escaping his lips. “Yeah, I suppose.”

Urbosa then turned to the Rito Champion. Revali, to no one's surprise, had an expression of total disdain -not only on his face, though; it was in all of his being. He was facing away from the group with his wings folded on his back. He had always disliked Link. The thought of them so worryingly discussing the knight's whereabouts must surely annoy him to the extreme. Or was he envious of the acknowledgements bestowed upon Link by both her and the Princess...? Was he really that immature? _At least he showed enough maturity to keep his beak shut_ , Urbosa sighed. _Let's just hope this attitude of his doesn't become a serious concern in the future_.

The Gerudo Champion then finally glanced at Mipha. The small Zora Princess was standing with a perfect posture, her clawy hands comfortably intertwined in front of her. She was wearing a tiny, hopeful smile; her amber eyes were facing the ground, apparently lost in thought.

Mipha was always thinking about something, yet she almost never revealed her thoughts voluntarily. Even when questioned about something, Urbosa knew that she let out far less than her mind had actually conceived. Whether this reserved quality was borne from her experience with politics or from her introverted nature she did not know. Nor she really cared; she truly appreciated Mipha. She was a great addition to the Champions, not only for her healing powers, but for her kind, rational personality; it did wonders to balance out the more headstrong Champions' temperaments.

Now that Urbosa thought about it, why wasn't Mipha more worried about Link? She seemed to be the closest and most fond to him after all. _She surely must have more insight as to how our hylian must be doing, yet she hasn't said much..._

The Gerudo attributed it to her shyness. Oh, how wholesome yet bothersome it could be. She would have to get used to addressing groupal inquiries to her directly.

And she was going to have to tease her about it in the future as retribution.

"Mipha, dear, may I ask you something?"

The sudden question made Mipha jump out of her stupor. Now all of the Champions' attention were directed towards her and her Gerudo companion.

"Oh, of course; what do you wish to know?"

"I'm aware of the fact that out of everyone present in this room _you_ are the one who is closest to our Hylian friend" Urbosa stopped for a second to closely inspect Mipha; her bashful reaction towards her words was not something she wanted to miss.

And surely enough, there it was: a light blush. With a satisfied smile, she continued.

"Could you give us a bit of insight as to his possible whereabouts or his most probable answer?"

All of the Champions were now looking at her expectantly.

"U-Um..." Mipha ordered her thoughts very carefully. She _had_ been thinking about this very topic a minute ago, but being put on the spot was making it difficult for her to objectively decide what was best to say.

“Well… Link has always felt at his strongest -and most comfortable- alone", she started. "He surely must have voluntarily excluded himself from the Kingdom, venturing into the wild, in the hopes that it could help him make his mind.”

“Oh, _really_?”

Revali instantly spat under his breath and was about to further interrupt her companion's reasoning. _Is this knight really that asinine? Did he literally require days to answer a simple yes or no question?!_

Thankfully, Urbosa's and Daruk's simultaneous glares were enough to shut him up before he could even utter another word.

Zelda nodded and blinked reassuringly to the Zora Champion, encouraging her to go on.

"...As to what could his answer be...", Mipha pondered her words very carefully, as she noticed the anticipation in Zelda's face and the excitement in the entirety of her goron companion. "...I have faith that he will accept." Daruk's face instantly lit up after hearing this, but suppressed his joyous laughter as he noticed Mipha elaborating further.

"Sadly, as to where could he be, or when will he come back… I have no idea." This was a half-lie. She truly had no idea as to when Link would show up, but she did have a few guesses as to where he could have gone. He had decided to keep this information to herself in a show of respect for Link's privacy. Mipha knew that if the Champions had clues of Link's whereabouts, they would undoubtedly go inspect them and retrieve him if possible, no matter his location.

To say this would annoy him to no end is a major understatement. Mipha understood that Link had his reasons for his sudden disappearance, so she trusted him to come back when he was feeling ready.

All things considered, she was quite sure where he could be. No, she was _absolutely_ _certain_ of it. If she had to bet, he had taken a detour to his home village: Ordon. Or its remains, to be accurate.

The history of the village was truly disheartening. No one even bothered to rebuild the small town after its destruction in the hands of a massive monster attack. Link was only a child back then, and as such said cataclysmic event was burned into his mind.

After all, it was the tragedy that had reduced him to a lonely, orphaned Hylian boy.

In the aftermath of the cataclysm, the entirety of Ordon was laid to waste. It took three days for another Hyrulean presence to take notice of the attack on the secluded village.

And they weren't even Hylian; it was a small caravan of zoras passing by, who had come to Ordon in the hopes of trading with the locals. Mipha herself was one of the first people to have ever read the reports of what had happened to the poor village; admittedly, the caravan had made an impressive work by investigating the village and documenting all of their findings.

She remembered shuddering as she read the document, imagining the tragic events that came into play that day.

Thankfully, no other Champion pried further, or demanded her to try and give possible locations where Link could be found. She would have absolutely loathed to lie again to her fellow Champions, but she herself just didn't want to reveal and explain such private information about Link’s past. _If they wished to know more, it would be better if they asked Link_.

She really doubted anyone else present in the room was aware of what happened in Ordon, even the Princess. It was an event that was seen too taboo to talk about, and as such it was mostly forgotten. And understandably so; Hylian High Command wasn't keen to put on public display their failure to secure the town's safety. It wasn't a fact that was actively or forcefully suppressed, it just wasn't well-known nor extensively documented.

Mipha then returned her focus to the Champions. Zelda had begun to discuss with each one of them their respective tribe’s state of affairs, surely trying to link any unusual event to the supposed return of Ganon. She was now excitedly and endlessly questioning poor Daruk as to what he meant with “more rocks are comin’ from Death Mountain”. She giggled at the sight; Daruk’s expression as he tried to discern and answer each and every single question from the barrage of words that Zelda had just thrown his way was utterly priceless.

Eyeing the rest of the Champions, she really hoped for Link to join them. Discarding her personal feelings aside, he would be an excellent addition to the team. His expertise in travelling, weaponry, combat and the wild in general would prove invaluable to any and all tasks they sought to accomplish. And if she were to consider her personal feelings… Well, let’s just say it would be a huge morale boost for her. The prospect of her dearest and closest friend in all of Hyrule spending a considerable amount of time with her again, after so many long years… It was very exciting, to say the least.

Of course, she would never tell him this. She would never dare to influence over his decision; if Link were to decide to become the Hylian Champion, then he’d do so because of his own motivations and reasons. What Mipha wanted most was him to feel motivated and comfortable amongst them; she would absolutely _hate_ for him to feel emotionally forced into the position.

Even if he were to decline the invitation, she wouldn't take it personally, or hold it against him. It would undoubtedly hurt and sadden her to the extreme, true, but Mipha would understand it. Link could be incredibly rash at times, but he wasn't one to make these kinds of decisions lightly; if he didn't want to become a Champion, he would have very good reasons to back up his answer.

She just hoped that he came back quickly and safely.

_Oh, Link…_ Mipha hadn't recalled the tragic events of his childhood in a long, long time. It hurt every time she recalled the forgotten memory. No one, hailing from Ordon Village or not, deserves such a terrible fate.

Especially not Link.

In truth, nobody knew why a monster attack of that magnitude ever came to happen to _that_ town. It held no importance, it had nothing of worth.

Nobody knew how the invasion had occurred so swiftly, so ruthlessly efficient.

Hell, no one even knew how long it had lasted, or where did the monsters come from and where did they go.

There just were so many mysteries and unknowns surrounding the incident, even after dozens of Zora _and_ Hylian investigation efforts.

In the end...

Solely one thing was known:

There had been only one survivor.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay, finally an introduction of the Champions! I consider them all to be "diamonds in the rough" at this point in the story; they haven't known each other for long.
> 
> But they all (of course) know Link, or at least are aware of his existence even before becoming Champions.  
> What an influential boi. I've always found this thought to be funny: Link being a very close friend of the Great Lord Daruk AND the Zora Princess, as well as a rival to Revali.
> 
> But I digress; the next chapter will be much, much darker. Expect it to come in a few days.
> 
> And as always, thank you for reading.


	3. Memories: The Fall Of Ordon

The Zoras’ trading caravans weren’t meant to be heroes, nor be witnesses of one of Hyrule’s most tragic events.

They routinely went their way throughout specific parts of Hyrule in the search for priceless and rare items of all sorts, specifically items that could prove beneficial to their race and their Domain as a whole, be it from a practical standpoint or from an academic one. These items mainly were, but not exclusively, technology, ores, tools, weapons, endemic species of flora or fauna, gemstones, and trinkets related to foreign tribes, to name some examples.

Every caravan had different kinds and numbers of members, and they sometimes were specialized in obtaining certain types of goods; the one that had first found out about Ordon’s destruction, however, wasn't specialized in anything in particular. What _was_ special about the group was its size. It was made up of only three zoras: an experienced tradesman and traveler who acted as the leader, a maiden retailer who was in charge of their supplies, and a young scribbler who wrote reports of what would the team acquire and do as they travelled.

They all had already been working together for quite some time; naturally, they were well-acquainted with each other and with _most_ of Hyrule itself. Emphasis on _most_ , though; this caravan had been to many, many places, but lacked the most familiarity with Southern Hyrule; it was the one area they didn’t frequent as often. They weren’t fond of the climate, the monsters nor the geography of the area. Touring around Faron was a huge hassle.

This time the small caravan had ignored their dislike for the location and chose to try their luck South. And by the goddess, were they lucky.

In a few weeks’ time they had already collected more than their fair share of miscellaneous goods; they now rightfully decided it was a perfect time to head home.

However, they needed to restock on food. There were plenty of bodies of water nearby filled to the brim with exotic, edible fish, so it wasn't that much of a problem. But the caravan had heard of a local, exquisite delicacy that extremely few zoras had ever tasted: hearty durians.

The fruit grows on extremely specific soils and climates, conditions that just can't be found or recreated near Zora's Domain nor most of Hyrule; the only place where they can healthily thrive is in Faron’s deep jungle, an incredibly remote and dangerous place, and _especially_ for zoras; they were extremely vulnerable to electric attacks, which were very common in the area. Venturing deep into the rainforest meant facing fierce thunderstorms and electricity-wielding monsters. The hearty durians just weren’t worth the trip, no matter how incredibly delicious and healthy they were.

Getting a single piece of the fruit was just so enticingly demanding. Curiously enough, though, Hylian farmers from Ordon Village had apparently found a way to successfully plant, grow and harvest the precious durians in their own town -or so had the rumors said. The Zora possessed little information of that particular part of Hyrule. Maybe some other zora in the past had misinterpreted or misheard information related to the location in a delirious craving for the fruit, or maybe he had reported the truth. Either way, there was only one way for the group to know for sure: 

Visiting Ordon themselves.

The caravan could take a final detour to the village in the hopes of tasting the mythical food for themselves and striking one or two handsome deals with the locals, _if_ they were lucky; by doing this, they could secure an endless supply of hearty durians for their Domain, as well as a pretty profitable trade for themselves. And in the worst case scenario, at least they'd know for a fact that the durians, in fact, couldn't be found in Ordon, laying the rumors to rest.

Besides, Ordon wasn’t that deep inside of Faron’s treacherous jungle; it literally resided in the peripheries of it.

It just seemed like a win-win situation, and everyone agreed it was.

“...See, Boss? The path through the southern woods seems like our safest and quickest route.”

“‘Aight… Yeah, seems easy enough. Let’s get goin’, then. Be on the lookout for anything suspicious.”

“Understood!”

“Uh, and scribbles?”

“Y-yeah?”

“Ready your pen, this one’ll be for the history books.”

Luckily, the secluded settlement wasn't too far, just an hour or so on foot from where they stood, of course, if their maps were to be trusted.

And so, without a second thought, the caravan ventured inside the wilderness of the southern lands of Hyrule.

Looking back, it all seemed to be so perfect... Their whole trip had gone according to plan, just as exactly expected. Until then, the group felt as if they had experienced the greatest and most productive trading venture in all of zora history.

Going knee-deep into uncharted, dangerous lands, in the search for Zora and personal glory...

It had been one of the greatest times of their lives.

Except…

Destiny had other plans for them.

It always has.

Fate made certain that none of them would ever forget what happened that day.

“C-Chief! I think we’re here! Ordon must be just behind those hills over there!”

“You sure? Still don’t smell, hear or see any traces of it.”

“Perhaps it is a little bit further behind the hills...?”

“...Let’s just hope it is.”

As soon as they were beginning to approach the village, every zora in the group could tell something was very, very wrong.

Villages usually were lively, noisy, vibrant… Even from afar one could easily notice the signs of civilization, of people.

Yet they hadn't encountered another single person during their whole detour. No other traveling merchants, no travellers of any kind, no couriers, no hunters, not even children playing in the woods. The only other thing of note they had found was loose livestock, which was bizarre all on its own, but explainable, unlike the apparent lack of activity.

This wouldn't be so strange for such a small town, but then again, it was _midday…_ It was the hour when _any_ settlement would see the most activity.

Even the tiny camps they'd settle at night were more lively than this.

Could Ordon really be _this_ secluded, _this_ disconnected?

This… _quiet_?

They surely hoped so.

They hoped that their chills had been nothing more than a mild overreaction.

They prayed, no, _pleaded_ for their instincts to be wrong. No pride would come from being right in this situation.

But their wishes were in vain.

“D-Do you all sense that?!”

“Yes! What on Hyrule is that stench, Boss?”

“...C-Chief?”

“...”

As it turned out, the bad feeling settling in the back of their minds, telling them to dread what was about to come, was right all along.

As they began crossing the hills, every zora in the caravan instantly sensed and recognized in shock the signs of a huge monster invasion. The scenery was horrible, nightmarish. They all had inadvertently readied their weapons in unison as the grim reality began to set in:

Ordon Village was no more.

The smell was what alarmed the caravan first. The air had the characteristically yet unfathomably unsettling stench of death and desolation.

Then the background noise really came into question. Or rather lack of. What once could have been the jovial sound of a busy town filled with the voices of dozens of people was now replaced with a deafening, thundering silence. Only the singing of birds could be heard.

Finally, the town came into sight.

Most buildings were reduced to nothing more than rubble and ash drowning in the swampy terrain; they now served no other purpose than staining the zoras' feet as they progressed further into the dead village.

Some obscure, fetid silhouettes were spread across the path. The leader was the only one daring enough to inspect each and every one of these inert figures.

It was all just so grim, so hollow. A greyish atmosphere permeated the zoras' surroundings. Thankfully, no monsters nor other threats were present in the vicinity; the only thing left was the evidence of the carnage brought upon the Hylian villagers.

“I’ll go and check East, you two head West. If you find anything, or anyone, let me know. Shout, even.”

The group had scattered in an effort to search for survivors amongst the ruins. They checked everything: the farmlands, the walkways, the few remaining houses, all of the rubble and wreckage...

It was useless. The village was officially empty, totally devoid of life.

The disheartened zoras decided it was best to abandon Ordon as it was and notify both the Hylians and their Domain about their findings. It was clear that they were the first living beings that had entered the village after its destruction.

Besides, it was getting late. No one desired to remain around at dusk in such a horrible environment.

“There’s nothin’ left for us to do here... It’s best if we take our leave.”

“Y-yeah…”

The caravan began to make its way out of Ordon.

But suddenly…

“Hey…!!! Boss! Did you see that?!”

“What? See what?”

“Behind that house! Something moved!”

“What do you mean with somethin’?”

“I… I don’t know, but it was fast!”

The leader went to inspect the tiny, wooden house. There was nothing in there, nor in the vicinity. Nothing they hadn’t seen before, anyway.

“You’re just getting jumpy, woman. Didn’t see anythin’ in there.”

“No, no, I swear I saw something!”

“M-Maybe it was just the wind...?”

The maiden kept insisting she saw a figure move in the periphery of her eyes. The leader, however, dismissed her claims, as he hadn’t seen, heard or smelled anything, and he was _very_ perceptive.

Then he himself heard something shutting at his back, towards the well of the town. Was it… a trapdoor?

“Told you there was something!”

“You two stay back, and be on your guard! I’ll go and check what this well has in store for us!”

Cautiously, the leader approached the well with his sharp spear holstered and his heart pounding, its beat increasing with every step he took. Adrenaline was starting to pour into his bloodstream.

Time seemed to have slowed down as he shakily peeked through the well's opening.

Surprisingly enough, the well was incredibly shallow, and a single closed barrel laid down at the bottom; it was at arm's length. A hasty panting could be heard emanating from its insides.

Raising and pointing his spear towards the bottom of the well with his right hand, he mustered all of his courage to begin opening the barrel with his free hand, preparing to face whatever cruel monster dwelled inside of it.

With a swift flick of his left arm, he tore the barrel open to reveal a sight he would never forget. Not in the next ten centuries to come.

He was paralyzed, frozen in place.

A lone, blonde, Hylian boy was staring at him from the bottom, with an expression of utter despair implanted on his young, innocent face.

His fearful panting stopped as he realized that he had nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.

Then, his face shifted from expressing fear to express defeat.

The boy thought he had met his end.

There was nothing left for him to do but accept his fate. After all, he thought it was only fair for him to go down with the rest of his fallen hometown. He had always maintained a remarkable sense of honor and unmatched bravery, ever since the time he grabbed his first wooden sword.

He wasn't going to lose that now.

Not when it was the only thing that he had left.

Even then… There was something his mind couldn't quite comprehend, something he just didn't understand, but was dying to know. Something he was daring to ask the creature looming above him, even as a silent spear stubbornly remained pointed at him.

This invasion, the tragic loss of so many dear friends and family, all of the destruction, this terrible fate which he had met with...

"Why?"

That was all the boy managed to say.

The scary, green-scaled sea monster towering over him dropped his spear to the ground, creating a loud, deafening crash as the metal collapsed into the cobblestone below. The next thing the boy knew was that the scaly creature was trying to grab hold of him. In response, he forcefully closed his eyes, expecting for the worst to come.

What on Hyrule was it going to do with him?

Turns out the creature didn't know either.

“Dear Jabu-Jabu...”

The Zora leader carefully eyed the Hylian boy that now was in his arms: he remained motionless, curled up into a ball, with his face buried into his chest.

He actually was the sole survivor of the invasion. Not only that, but this child had survived for days on his own, presumably scavenging through the remains of his now lost hometown.

It was truly, truly impressive. Incredibly depressing, but impressive nonetheless. _Not far from a miracle_ , the leader thought. It was just as if the boy was meant to live.

As he kept searching for something to tell the child, something to make him feel better, the rest of the caravan approached them from behind. They all were equally dumbfounded by the fact that _he_ had survived the onslaught.

“Is that-”

“A-A Hylian child?”

The Zora maiden who first spotted him went on to take a closer look. The Hylian boy's skin was pale white, and there were bruises and scratches covering up his entire body. He was also very, very dirty, as if he had spent a considerable amount of time underground. The only good thing she noticed was that he didn't seem to be gravely wounded. He was fine, all things considered.

"Boss, how much time do you think he has spent on these ruins?"

"Don't know; it is hard to tell just by lookin' at him, but seein' the state of the village...", the leader then proceeded to reinspect what was left of Ordon. "...three to four days, tops".

The maiden gasped at the revelation. She wasn't sure whether the boy had experienced the best or worst of lucks in all of Hyrule. Yes, he had survived against impossible odds and seemed to be a miracle-child, but he also was the only one left from his whole family and village… Both reasonings were not wrong, but the perspectives were radically different.

She decided to remain optimistic, though. This hylian was granted a new chance at life, and it would be beyond horrible for his chance to go to waste. But then again, his options at the moment were severely limited. She carefully started considering what other options he could possibly have.

In her mind, there was naught but only one option.

"Boss, we need to bring him back to the Domain!"

"Are you crazy?! Haven't you considered how the Council could react?"

"Would you prefer to leave him to rot with the rest of the village?"

" 'Course not! Him survivin' this far is miracle enough, but takin' him to the Domain... You know he won’t be welcome back home."

"But think about it! What other options do we have?"

"We could leave him in the stable on our way back."

"And leave him at the mercy of every traveller that comes through? No, I don’t think so."

The hylian had remained in his curled ball this whole time, resting on the sea monster's arms while it and its comrades discussed. But now that he thought about it…

Monsters didn't have the ability to speak, did they? No, that was just a Hyrulean thing, that much he knew. Then… What kind of creatures were the ones surrounding him? He was now certain that they were not monsters; they may be a bit scary, but he had never faced nor heard about monsters who would just carry people around whilst arguing with its kin. They did seem to be related to fish, though… But they definitely were people.

So, they were a spear-wielding, water-related, scaly people. Which meant that, in reality, those surrounding him were…

 _Nooo, but that's impossible!_ _We aren't in water! But… Everything else seems to make sense…_

Well, there was no harm in asking, was there?

Still, he felt very conflicted about it. He wouldn’t _dare_ to interrupt the sea people’s arguing. G _uess I’ll just wait ‘til the time’s right..._

"...It would be a twelve day trip! _And_ on land! Boss, we just don't have the resources to spare for such a trek!"

"..."

“Besides, what if the child is sick? Or if he has any internal ailments unbeknownst to us? He surely would perish amid the trip!”

“...Damnit.”

"See? Our best chance is to take the boy back to the Domain!"

“...”

“Boss, I know you’re not thrilled with the idea, but you said it yourself: him surviving all of this is a miracle by itself… We just can't let it go to waste!”

“S-She is right, chief… I mean, you said he survived three to four days all alone, right? Mustn’t he have some unique skills?”

“...What are you sayin’, scribbles?”

“I-I’m saying that maybe, just m-maybe, he could be given a job back home? S-Something to make his stay useful in the eyes of the Council...?”

“Hmm...”

“Yes, that’s it! And with that he’d surely be spared any harsh treatment! ...So, what do you think, Boss?”

The leader contemplated silently his caravan’s proposal. He still wasn't thrilled with the idea, but he saw reason in his companions' arguing. _Perhaps the boy has a chance after all..._

“Aight, then. The boy comes with us.”

“Yes! Thank you, Boss!”

“Don’t mention it. Just be prepared for the Council’s scoldin’. Work hard on that report, scribbles; the better it is, the more will it save our scales.”

“O-Oh, of course, I’ll do my best!”

The trio of zoras simultaneously nodded, then took a look at the blonde child. They all noticed he had taken a quick, innocent peek out from his curled up ball; his body had relaxed considerably in the arms of the leader. The maiden thought he was adorable, especially with his messy hair covering his eyes.

“I hadn’t met a hylian this young before… What about you, Boss?”

“No, never.”

“How old do you think he is? Eighteen?”

“What? No! Remember that hylians live far less than us, and this one has yet to even learn to speak, I’d bet he has-”

“I’m three!”

The group instantly gasped at the child’s voice. He was _three_? Zora this old hadn’t even learned to fully and automatically breathe on land!

The boy _finally_ began to completely face his new companions. He then inspected all three of them. _They aren’t that scary! They are kinda cool, actually!_

With this realization, he involuntarily beamed up a bright smile.

It was the first smile Ordon had seen in days.

“Y-You really are three!?”

“Yep! Well, almost four… But yeah, what about you?”

The caravan couldn’t believe this child. He truly, _truly_ was special. The maiden couldn’t help but grin widely as she heard the child’s voice.

“Above a hundred, actually!”

“Whaaat, really?!”

He then noticed the woman’s sharp teeth and quickly jumped out of the leader’s arms. _Ohh right, what I wanted to ask…_

“Uhm… I didn’t wanna interrupt before, but... are you… zoras?”

“Indeed we are, boy.”

“Yes! I kneew it! But why are you here and not in water?”

“W-We, uh…”

“We are a trading caravan! We travel all around Hyrule in the search for priceless artifacts, in the hopes of-”

“We travel buyin’ and sellin’ stuff. We travelled to Ordon to do just that.”

“Oh...” The boy’s smile dwindled at that. For a brief moment he had forgotten the tragedy that befell to his hometown. He then took a long look at it. “Well… I dunno if there’s much left for you here… Or for me...”

“...”

The maiden’s grin finally disappeared and instead gave the boy a sympathetic look.

“Hey... We’ve already finished with our travelling around Hyrule; we just were about to head home”, the child’s eyes widened with anticipation, “...do you want to come with us?”

His glistening smile shone through Ordon’s dead atmosphere. “No waaay, r-really?! I’d love to!”

His contagious, undying enthusiasm had returned once again. The scribbler swore he saw the tiniest of smiles form in his chief’s hardened visage; he never, ever thought he’d be witness to such a heartwarming event. Of course, this would never dare to write in his report. Nor anywhere else for that matter.

“Excellent! Let’s get going, then!”

And without another word, the blonde hylian began to make his way out of Ordon with his new zora friends.

The caravan had just experienced the emotional rollercoaster of their lives. They had been part of a very successful trading venture, then they came to the village in the search for a mythical fruit, and then they all had been witnesses to the most nightmarish sight of their lives.

And yet…

...Amidst the darkness, against all impossible odds and reason, stranded in an unrelenting fog of despair…

A dazzling beacon of light shone.

A life that would forever change history and all of Hyrule was saved that day.

“Say, boy... what’s your name?”

“My name is Link!”

“Hmph. I’ve a feelin’ our Princess will be more than excited to meet you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really, really enjoyed writing this chapter. It turned out much better than I imagined! But yeah, in here Link's true nature and temperament is what shines most. It is pretty endearing.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts about the story so far!


	4. Echoes from the Past

“Grrr-AHHH...” Before the blue bokoblin could even react and cover himself up with its wooden shield, a blindingly fast cut had already tore him diagonally through the entirety of its torso; the blonde knight hadn’t even looked at it, he instead remained focused on its more dangerous kin raging behind. It was a spear-wielding, silver bokoblin.

_ Steel spear, grabbed first with the left hand: a left-handed monster in a blind rage for its fallen brother; expect an obvious opening with an aggressive, piercing blow towards my ribs -a spin to the right followed by an instant, horizontal cut should do the trick. _

Link quickly closed the distance between him and the roaring pig-like monster, the muddy terrain doing absolutely nothing to slow him down. Just as he expected, the silver bokoblin tried to throw a fierce, but predictable, stab at Link’s left side. The overconfident knight, however, didn’t wait for the anticipated blow to appear, he instantly moved out of the spear’s way as soon as the bokoblin ever so lightly twitched its arm. The inferior creature could only watch in bewilderment as the knight who mere milliseconds before was inches in front of it had impossibly spun to his right side, completely evading the attack; his cruel but heroic sword was now viciously being directed towards its neck with the momentum of his whole body.

The cut was beautifully brutal; no other Hyrulean soldier could ever dream of replicating his technique.

Midway through the slash, still amidst his pirouette, Link noticed a last red bokoblin in the distance reading an arrow in its pathetic bow; in a few seconds, it would be taking aim towards him.

In response, he skillfully finished his cut through the silver bokoblin’s spine, sheathed his sword and grabbed hold of his own bow.

_ On second thought… Let’s try something new. _

Instead of drawing his bow, he went on to reach for the kitchen knife on his pocket.

Wielding the knife with the edges of his fingers, he made use of his deadly aim in another creative way, also taking advantage of the remaining momentum from the acrobatic spin he had yet to conclude.

Eyeing the distance between him and the monster, Link coldly and almost instantaneously calculated the necessary force he needed to put into his throw.

A last, swift flick of the wrist was all the additional movement that was required.

The cooking knife graciously soared through the warm winds and the oppressively humid atmosphere of Ordon's swampland, the sun reflecting on its shiny, polished surface for a brief moment before it savagely struck the red bokoblin right in the middle of its forehead. It didn’t even scream, it didn't have the chance to; the monster just dropped the weapon it failed to draw on time and fell lifeless to the mud.

_ Dead center. _

Link then  _ finally  _ landed on his feet after finishing his ridiculous maneuver. An evasive spin attack to knife-throw combo, done in less than two seconds…  _ Unorthodox as hell, but pretty effective _ , he proudly remarked as he watched the three bokoblins he had just defeated. The lethal knight was especially proud of his newfound knife-marksmanship skills. If he had just done  _ that  _ with a kitchen knife, then what’d-

Wait.

He had just slayed a monster with his  _ cooking  _ knife.

Link desperately rushed to the red bokoblin’s body to retrieve his precious knife. He cringed in disgust as he separated it from the creature and saw just how stained it was with its remains.

He was sure the smell would take days of cleaning and scrubbing to disappear completely; this he knew from past experiences,  _ several  _ past experiences. Seeing how deep the knife had struck and the nature of the creature’s remains, he’d never be able to cook a good meal with it again -at least for the remainder of his trip.

_ Darn it Link _ , he sighed in annoyance.  _ Was that really necessary? How much easier could it have been to simply use my bow and arrow? _

But he then recreated in his mind the perfect throw, reflecting on how glorious of a sight it could have been to any bystander. Link knew even Revali would have been impressed, although he’d  _ never  _ admit it. He too liked doing flashy feats, but the rito made sure to make  _ all  _ of his moves as ridiculous and flamboyant as possible; Link, on the other hand, was generally satisfied with showing off every once in a while.

_ Generally _ . If Mipha were there, then the whole situation changed. He felt the want -no, the  _ need-  _ to impress his so dearly beloved childhood friend with his skills; he wanted to show her just how much hard work he daily put into being a better knight, to show her just how much he had grown up and improved since he was a child. Link wanted Mipha to feel proud of him, and more often than not he would go to the extreme to accomplish just that… And more often than not he’d be on the receiving end of her scoldings for his “rashness”. “ _ Link, when will you learn to think before you act _ ?!  _ Seriously, you worry me! _ ” Oh, if only she knew the truth behind his acting.

Even then... No matter how annoyed or angry she’d get with him, Mipha would always,  _ always  _ heal his injuries, no matter how stupid or insignificant they were; scrapes, scratches, light bruises… She’d treat any ailment he could possibly have. Maybe a bit angrily, but still. Sometimes the chiding would come amidst her healing efforts. Link always thought this to be endearing, and entertaining to some extent.

Since he was a boy living in the Domain, he had deciphered Mipha’s line of reasoning: she’d get so upset with him when he got hurt because she deeply and sincerely cared for him. She really wanted him to be alright at all times.

Just thinking that killed any and all bad mood Link could have. It was as if that were an extension of her powers.

Sometimes she didn’t even need to use her powers to heal him, though; her essence was more than enough to cure his aches.

Link now returned his focus to the ominous present; he still was blankly staring at his grimy knife.

_ What was I thinking…? _

_ Oh, right. My unnecessary knife throw. _

But considering how perfect the move had been and  _ especially  _ the warm memories it made him relive...

“Well, it was worth it.” He finally chuckled.

The memories brought a very nice and welcome contrast to the dark ambiance that radiated from his ruined and abandoned hometown.

Link then haphazardly cleaned his knife with a piece of his cloak. He’d cleanse it more thoroughly later; there were far more important things to do at the moment.

It was his father’s birthday, after all. It was time to head to his old home.

On his way, he closely watched the rest of Ordon. Numerous piles and piles of monsters laid broken on the mud and on the almost non-existent cobblestone pathways and farmlands. Bokoblins, moblins, lizalfos, even a lynel… None had escaped from his blade. And deservingly so.

Link would always make sure to purge the ruined village of any and all monsters as soon as he arrived. Not only would it make the place absolutely safe for both him and his horse, but it also was a way for him to pay respect to his fallen friends and family. Besides… The thought of monsters skulking around the ruins of the village where he once grew up, disturbing the sacred resting place of his past comrades…

It just angered him.

Furthermore, during his slayings he  _ had  _ noticed something potentially important: every time he came back to Ordon, more and more monsters would appear, all seemingly unaware of the purges he’d yearly bring upon their camps. So… If they didn’t seem to be expecting him or waiting for him to show up ...why would their numbers and fiercity increase with every passing year? Link severely doubted this to be a simple coincidence, or a simple “it happens” scenario. He could recall the same thing happening in various isolated Hyrulean lands that he visited in the past. 

Could the monsters be preparing for something? Were they scheming an attack while in the peripheries of the civilized world? A giant invasion of sorts to Hyrulean mainland, perhaps...?

“Heh, as if.” He couldn't follow the thought seriously. Monsters coordinating big attacks? Come on; they could barely work and communicate effectively as a group of two or three, how would they even be capable of organizing such a complicated movement? It was impossible.

Unless…

Something else was coordinating them, pulling their strings from the shadows.

Or  _ someone _ .

And that could only be…

“Ganon.”

Link suppressed all further thoughts related to the matter. He had heard and  _ believed  _ the fortuneteller’s ominous warnings of its resurrection, but a part of him was dearly hoping for his words to be mistaken; it was far easier for him to stay in denial than go and try convincing everyone of the existence of the Calamity that was on its way.

The hero living inside of him was repulsed by this line of thought, though. He had seen how hard the Princess had been working to find any and all evidence that proved the reality of what was to come. She was far smarter than he, and she too completely believed the prophecy... Not only that, but she had even committed a  _ lot  _ of resources and time to create an order of the greatest warriors in Hyrule to help her battle the future catastrophe, even if it remained in the realm of possibility…

Maybe all of the ancient prophecies, legends, and warnings actually spoke the truth. If Zelda believed them, then they had to.

Maybe he should follow her example and act accordingly.

Maybe he should become a Champion.

Maybe. Just maybe.

Anyhow, there was another unknown with the forming of the Champions, something he didn’t understand... Why had King Rhoam agreed to it? Not that Link was against the idea, but the King didn’t seem to have believed the prophecies of Ganon’s return -or any prophecy for that matter. Could he just be indulging his daughter?

_ Doubtful _ . It was too big of an undertaking to make just for her daughter's placency, way too politically convoluted. It surely should have been done solely for political interests. Or perhaps he has other future intentions with the group at his command? 

The hesitant knight surely would never know, nor was it his concern, really. There was a bigger, underlying issue with him becoming a Champion; one that truly alienated him from the idea of ever joining them.

A far more personal one:

He didn't feel like a Champion.

_ He didn't feel worthy. _

“...”

Link sighed.

_ This again. _

The sorrowful knight could now see his former house in the distance, memories flooding his mind and numbing all of his senses. This is the home he had shared with his father when he lived another, happier life. This is the home where he lived the first and greatest years of his life. And yet...

This is the home he had failed to protect.

How was he going to protect Hyrule as the Hylian Champion if he couldn't even save his own home?

How could he live in glory and in bliss while the rest of his fellow villagers weren't even granted the chance to?

How would he be able to cope with such hypocrisy?

How lowly would his father think of him because of that?

_ Father… _ That's the most important thing right now, his father's birthday. Link could endlessly torment himself with the whole Champion ordeal later.

_ Just a few steps more... _

With every step he took, the building started becoming much, much larger and began feeling more and more real.

... _ And here I am. _

He was now standing right in front of his former abode.

Curiously enough, it was one of the few houses that hadn’t been completely destroyed in the invasion; it really was mostly the same, with the exception of some obvious wear and tear -and a  _ considerable  _ amount of moss. As for the rest of Ordon Village… Well, even less of it remained after so many years.

But when he closed his eyes, he could swear everything was as if nothing had ever happened. He could still feel the warm, kind breeze of the morning, the sun ever radiant on his face, the recomforting sound of his father sharpening his sword and farming tools, the funny but familiar feeling of the muddy terrain sinking under his feet… Oh yes! The glorious chirping of birds and the soft fur from the horses and the livestock he'd so gleefully tend to, the jovial laughs of children begging for him to go and play with them, the fresh smell of the morning dew on the grass... Oh, oh! The  _ heavenly  _ smell from the bakery across the street! He could still  _ taste _ the delicious durian cakes the lady would oh so ethereally bake… Ohhh, just how  _ much _ he would give for another taste…

Everything was still there!

It all felt merely at arm’s reach!

But… As soon as he opened his eyes...

Gone.

Just… Gone.

He had lost  _ years _ of his life trying to forget everything that happened there, he had lost month's worth of sleep trying to suppress the nightmares.

But it was useless. All of it. Yes, the deed could have been done, but the stubborn memory remained; unhealed wounds remained. No one could ever help him cure those pains, not even Mipha. It was something he had to face and solve on his own; he  _ had  _ to accept it, and Link knew this. Still...

He couldn't. He was too scared to.

He just wasn’t ready to let go. Not yet.

Letting go would mean him coming to terms with the fact that they all were hopelessly and utterly gone, never to return. This harsh reality, as true as it was, terrified him, it made him feel so very lonely.

As selfish as he felt for it, he didn’t want to feel alone.

And so, he kept hanging on.

He especially kept hanging onto the memory of his father.

Link's father, to the entirety of the Royal Family’s surprise, had chosen to retire from his service as a knight there, in Ordon; it was supposed to be a haven for him and Link, a place where they could live far away from the troubles of the world: the perfect, undisturbed paradise…

How could it have gone  _ so  _ wrong?

Perhaps it just never was meant to be.

Perhaps his father was never meant to have a happily ever after.

“...”

Link didn’t realize he had just entered his vacant home.

There, in the back, a single, undisturbed wooden desk remained. It was the place where his father would sit, write and tell Link stories. The piece of furniture was filled with fraternal value; far too many memories centered around it. He would even dream of it -and often.

It was a sacred place. More sacred than any church or temple.

The broken knight wordlessly and almost religiously knelt in front of it, a single tear travelling down his now maskless face.

He let go of a cathartic prayer, directing it towards his father -wherever he could be; it was silent enough to be inaudible to the rest of the world, but loud enough to deafen any eavesdropping deity with its charge of raw, unbridled emotion. Emotion for a future that could have been, but nevertheless was never meant to.

Still with his eyes shut and his brow directed to the floor, he reached for a closed jar safely tied up to his belt; it contained some fresh cool-safflinas; Link made sure to put them on the desk as gently as possible. They were his father’s favourite “exquisite floral specimen”, as he would often call them. He admired them for their resilience: they were able to grow in very inhospitable lands and would  _ always  _ maintain their characteristic liveliness and smell. Link too had noted this, as flowers belonging to the same species he brought on previous years still preserved most of their shape and pleasing odor, even after being such a long time by their lonesome; most other flowers would have died in their place.

The safflinas just seemed invulnerable! So full of life, of undying energy, and  _ especially  _ when put in the middle of Ordon, being as rotten and inhospitable as it now is; the flowers created a huge contrast in relation to the dark environment surrounding them.

“An icon of hope and survival in the middle of a dead land…”

_Heh. Surely even father would have laughed at such a coincidence, me being similar with a flower. Or could he have been trying to tell me something all along?_ , Link mused mockingly.

It was a funny and absurd, but heartwarming, thought: his father cheering him up from somewhere beyond the grave. Why, how considerate of him.

But then, as if being temporarily blessed with superhuman intuition...

_ Hold on a moment. _

...he thought it about some more.

Yes...

It all seemed to add up.

And perfectly.

**_Are you serious_ ** _?! _

_ Am I  _ **_really_ ** _ in the presence of the best and most planned motivational message ever designed?! _

"Man... Dad sure was unpredictable. And sneaky."

Link lightly chuckled.

Then started laughing a bit louder.

And  _ louder _ .

Soon, his boisterous laughter could even rival Daruk's.

He hadn't been this happy in a  _ long _ time; a bright, red flush had appeared on his face, but he didn't care. No one was around to witness his sudden surge of emotion.

His blissful laughter took a while to subside, and when it did, he felt lightheaded.

The knight then cleaned his tears; for the first time in what seemed  _ eons _ they were not of mourning, but were instead of pure joy.

Ever since he was a boy, he was certain his father had an ulterior motive when he allegedly explained why cool safflina was, in his mind, "the greatest thing that has ever happened to Hyrule". The choice wasn't odd per se, but the reasonings for his choice were. Yes, the flower is rather strong and beautiful, and yes, it does invoke a certain sense of hope, but the way he'd talk about it was… strange. Link had never met or heard of a knight that got as excited for a flower as much as he did.

Turns out his father wasn't describing the flower; in reality, he was describing him,  _ his own son _ !

He must have seen in the safflina the same virtues that Link possessed, and  _ that's _ when it became his favorite piece of flora.

"Resilient", "exquisite", "energetic", "full of life", "hopeful"... "The greatest thing that has ever happened to Hyrule"...

That's what his father saw in him!

That's who Link truly is!

_ Now _ he remembered; he had been growing more and more serious and bitter recently, as if he was no longer being himself...

Just where the hell had he been?

He was so glad to have deciphered his father's message  _ now _ that he needed it the most,  _ now _ that he faced the most challenging times of his life.

Link still felt like no hero, like no Champion, he still dreaded the idea of letting go…

But for his father, he was willing to try.

For his father, he'd give it his all.

And for Hyrule's sake too, of course.

The Champions weren't any order of warriors; they were  _ the _ order of warriors. If he got invited to join them, then he really must be special -even if he didn't see it. And for that same reason, he doubted many other candidates for the title of Hylian Champion were decided upon; it just made sense for it to be him. He already knew all of the members of the Champions, he already knew Princess Zelda, he was one of the very few people that had heard or even  _ believed _ the prophecy of Ganon's resurrection…

So no excuses there, he  _ was  _ worthy;  _ feeling  _ worthy was another story.

And most importantly: being a Champion, saving countless lives, being an inspiration for the young to follow? They  _ all _ were excellent ways for him to redeem himself, to forgive himself for his past failures.

Then, what was he waiting for? He had tarried for far too long; the Champions wouldn't wait for his answer much longer.

Link had to come back to them as fast as possible.

He stormed out of his old house as a different person, as a better Link. On his way out, he promised his father he would make up for his past mistakes by being a better person and even a greater Champion.

Still running towards the entrance of the village, he picked up a piece of grass, held it with his lips and fingers, took a deep breath and played a certain, familiar tune, one that his horse would greatly enjoy.

A song that would instantly call for her to show up from the furthest reaches of Hyrule.

He played it with all of his newfound happiness and passion; surely enough, his horse showed up merely seconds after playing the first notes. She was running towards him with almost the same enthusiasm he had.

"Good girl, Epona!" He yelled, lovingly.

As soon as she arrived, Link playfully caressed her mane and quickly mounted her, adrenaline and oxytocin welcomingly invading and filling up the entirety of his system.

He was about to rush out of Ordon at full speed… But instead stopped dead in his tracks.

Link turned to face his lost hometown and gave his childhood house a long, last look. He could feel a pair of tears forming in his eyes and subsequently dropping to the ground below. He had experienced a whole year's worth of emotions in just a few moments; being honest, he was exhausted.

But he also was motivated, more motivated like never before, and there was someone responsible for that.

Someone he needed to thank.

"Father… Thank you. For everything."

He truly would never fully make it up to his father, would he? He would even help him from beyond the grave... There was just so much to thank for, so much to make amends to, so much to redeem...

Yes, it was nigh impossible. But he could certainly try anyway.

Oh, that he will.

"Right, and happy birthday, too."

He  _ almost  _ forgot.

Funnily enough, it was his father's birthday, but it had been Link the one to receive the greatest gift and following surprise, one with years in the making.

Finally, with a respectful and eulogic nod, he turned back towards the entrance of the village, towards the future, a future he would actively fight for and look forward to.

His horse didn't even wait for the order; she blasted out of the village's ruined gates as soon as she felt Link turning around. She clearly had mimicked some of her master’s enthusiasm.

And on some level, somehow, she understood well her master's hurry. 

He had an invitation to accept.

One that he couldn't lose. No matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah. This chapter is perhaps the most important in the whole story; it has insane amounts of foreshadowing, so be on the lookout for clues related to the development of the story! It is also my favorite chapter so far; after all, it is the true start of the advenure! No more intros from here on out!
> 
> Thank you all for your words of support. I'm glad you're enjoying this as much as I do.
> 
> There'll be plenty more to come; see you until then!


	5. Back Into Action

It was a beautiful day at Hyrule Castle.

The sun, ever radiant, hid every now and then between light brushes of clouds spread across the vastless sky; any cloudiness that dared to gather and obstruct the warming light was quickly dissipated by the wind, its currents seeming especially strong today. The windiness also brought a certain chill to the land, but that didn’t bother Zelda. What  _ did  _ bother her was its insistence; ever since dawn it had been unceasingly blowing away all of her research notes and other papery works she would so diligently order and work on. The stubborn princess kept battling the thought of just closing the windows altogether though, albeit for a good, but peculiar, reason:

The study would often get smelly from the several, several kinds of food and drinks the Princess would take and enjoy there: tea, coffee, fruit, meats, biscuits... She just was too focused on her studies to waste time on going downstairs and having dinner with her family and friends. The accumulated odor could easily become too much of a nuisance for her, so she tried to keep her windows open at all times, for stopping her habit of eating in her study was completely off-limits.

But this time drastic measures had to be taken; her study was starting to become a perpetual and utter mess. With a defeated sigh, Zelda momentarily stopped her organizational efforts and finally closed the study’s windows.  _ You win -this time.  _

The princess then took a heavy sip of her black tea, turned to face the disaster that was her study and renewed her irritating endeavor. A  _ lot  _ of papers belonging to different studies and subjects were scattered on the floor and the luxurious furniture. Cartografic mission reports, geological studies, chemical discoveries, history books, investigations of ancient civilizations… She  _ loved  _ all and every single one of them, her amazing ability to make sense of all of the abstract information helping her connect pieces of info originating from different studies into a bigger picture.

Zelda truly had a knack and a burning passion for all things scientific. Sadly, this same passion had stirred many conflicts with her father, who believed such tastes “are not proper nor welcome in a princess”. She never abandoned her scientific ways, though; she just learned to balance them out with her jobs and expectations as a princess. This indeed seemed to satisfy King Rhoam -to a certain extent, at least, but what could he expect? This was his daughter’s true and most developed talent  _ and  _ hobby. It wasn’t something that could be easily “suppressed”.

Even now as she reordered all of her works, Zelda seemed like a child blissfully lost in a huge, new playground; she had even begun to read several of the papers and discover new data correlations as she undid all of the chaos.

... _ Yes, yes! It all adds up! Hypothetical electrical charges present in rocks and minerals on the crust could definitely explain alleged lightning sightings during earthquakes! Especially on southern Hyrule, where the crust’s concentration of quartz seems the highest, and where such a fantastic phenomenon seems most reported… Oh my! How didn’t I think of this before?! I must document my theory immediately! _

To put it briefly, she was having a field day.

Nevertheless, she wasn’t the only one hard at work. Directly below her intimidating study were many Sheikah scientists experimenting with new projects and ideas, ranging from material science derived compounds to the latest, most ridiculous contraptions. Zelda enjoyingly observed their work from her tall study, her papers finally having been put to order. She took note of the sheikahs’ progress and started writing some respectful observations and suggestions; she’d deliver them to the team of scientists later. Perhaps her keen eye and creativity could be of some help.

Amidst her scribbling, however, another hasty sheikah came to disrupt her thoughts with a hard knock on the door.

“Princess! I’ve very important news! I think you’re gonna like to hear this.”

Oh, just when she was enjoying herself the most.

“Could it wait for a bit, Impa? I’m rather busy right now...” Zelda still kept eyeing the Sheikah scientists and her notes, a bit frustrated for the interruption.

“Nope, I’m afraid it can’t! When I said  _ you’re gonna like to hear this _ I meant it! Now, open up!”

“Alright, then...” Zelda stood up with a heavy sigh and slowly, but curiously, approached the door. Her curiosity spiked when she opened the door and saw just how excited the Sheikah woman was; it was very odd for Impa to be this excited for anything.

“Ok…? What is it?”

Impa took a second to closely inspect the Princess’ face; she wanted to see how much her expression would change when she dropped the news. “It’s Link! He’s back!”

“What?! Where to, exactly?! Did someone see him recently? Oh, or is he in Castle Town? Has he reported for duty?!” Zelda was now in a frenzy for further information.

“Nonono, he’s  _ here _ , in Hyrule Castle! Some of my men saw him about to enter the stables only minutes ago!”

“He’s  _ here  _ already?!” The day was just getting better and better. Although…

There was a tiny, tiny issue with Impa's information.

If Link was  _ already  _ in the castle, then...

“...Hold on a second, how did he remain unspotted all of this time?”

Impa gulped. She was hoping the Princess wouldn’t pry further about this. “Well, he’s a rather inconspicuous knight, gotta give it to him.”

The leader of the Sheikah, saying someone is "rather inconspicuous".

Had she been slacking off?

“ _ Impa _ ...”

“What can I say!? If he so wishes to remain unnoticed, he absolutely has the skills to do so!"

_ Was Link really that stealthy, as to evade her and the Sheikah? _ Zelda was going to discover this for herself. If true, then such an ability would be a very welcome addition to the rest of the abilities that the Champions possessed; it’d be really spectacular to see in action. For the moment, however, she threw Impa an unimpressed look. The Sheikah woman continued her explanation a bit irritated.

"...I’m telling ya, he has thrown off my men more times than you have spilled tea over the damn carpet.” Zelda still held her sharp and blaming look; at this point she was doing it just for fun. It was entertaining seeing Impa like this.

“Oh, and come on, we both know I don’t have the time nor the want to go and follow him around myself!”

“Sounds to me you just wish to preserve your reputation.” Zelda chuckled a bit evilly, she liked taking jabs at her dear friend's pride.

“That’s… neither here nor there! Now, forget all of that and let’s get back to the point, shall we?" Zelda gave a short laugh before nodding knowingly.

"Right then; how shall we proceed, Princess? Remember the King is  _ still  _ in his talks in the throne room.”

Her father being busy at the moment in the throne room wasn't that much of a concern. In fact, it would only change the location where they'd meet. Zelda doubted the King would be bothered if he were to miss Link’s rejection or acceptance to join the Champions. Besides, she could always tell him the news of Link's decision later.  _ So, if we can’t use the throne room, then… Yes, it seems like a nice alternative. _

“Tell Link to meet me at the Castle’s courtyard at noon; Champion or not, this is a matter that must be resolved at once _._ ” Zelda now wore a confident but stern tone.

“Understood. Should I tell the other Champions?”

Zelda thought about this for a bit. There was nothing wrong with the Champions being aware of Link's return, but given the relationship  _ some  _ of them had with him and that they haven't seen each other in quite some time… Well, their warming reunion could delay his answer even further. She wanted to have it  _ right now _ .

“No… Not yet, not until he gives me his final answer. I want him focused.”

“Right. I’ll tell him at once.”

“Very well. Thank you, Impa.”

“No problem at all.”

And with that, Impa seemed to have vanished into thin air, the only thing left in her wake being a light puff of smoke. Zelda took a quick look outside in awe of the sheikah's skill and speed; they never failed to impress her. After a pair of minutes, she returned to her study and closed the doors behind her.  _ Then _ the realization finally struck: Link will give his answer today! The wait will finally be over!

The Princess hastily put away all of her notes and changed into a more proper outfit before setting off to the castle's courtyard. There still remained an hour or so until noon and she had no idea if Link was to show up on time, but she would absolutely  _ hate _ to be late. It would give him a terrible impression; it would make it seem as if she didn’t really care for his answer.

And in all honesty, she  _ did  _ hope for him to join them. She did  _ now _ , at least.

When it was first agreed to offer the title of Hylian Champion to Link, she didn't care nor thought much of it. Sure, his dossier was pretty impressive, but she didn't really know him. To her, he was just another accomplished soldier that would sometimes be ordered to escort or guard her around; a knight ever eager to please his superiors. But seeing how the Champions reacted when they heard  _ he _ was the one to receive the invitation, and hearing the stories they'd tell about him… Well, how curious, he apparently was the best damn swordsman in all of Hyrule!  _ And  _ he was already acquainted with  _ all  _ of the Champions! Not just  _ acquainted _ , but also deeply fond of some of them, too!

Lord Daruk apparently met him during one of the knight’s reconnaissance missions, where Link ventured deep into the Eldin region and was ambushed by a huge barrage of monsters; Daruk had noticed the attack from afar and rushed to the spot in the aid of the hylian, but was utterly  _ shocked _ to the core when he saw the knight completely annihilate all of the monsters by himself in what seemed the blink of an eye. The goron had  _ never _ seen a hylian move or fight like that, it was something truly astounding to witness. Naturally, he boisterously laughed and congratulated Link on his work as soon as he joined him. The duo had become something akin to brothers ever since then.

Revali had encountered him during one huge misunderstanding between Rito and Hylian forces. In short, the Rito misinterpreted a Hylian patrol in their borders as a direct attack to their village and were quick to threateningly respond. Thankfully, the matter was efficiently resolved by diplomacy without any trouble or future repercussions; the only thing borne from the incident was a deep, undying rivalry between Link and Revali. This was sure to make their interactions as Champions very... interesting.

Chief Urbosa was the least acquainted with Link; however, she  _ did _ know of what he was capable of. She herself had been witness to the slaying of a molduga in the hands of the knight when he was once tasked to escort the Princess to Gerudo Desert; The molduga had decided to bitterly attack the surroundings of Kara Kara Bazaar, terrorizing and endangering both residents and travelers alike. When the Gerudo forces came in mass to the rescue of their settlement, the unrelenting sand beast had already been dealt with -by a lone Hylian knight, nonetheless.

Then there was Mipha. The Zora Princess was the one who was the most fond of Link,  _ by far _ ; obviously, she too was the one who knew him better. The two of them shared an intriguing but charming relationship, something similar to an early childhood friendship as far as Zelda could tell. Mipha had actually met Link when he was just a boy, back when he lived in Zora’s Domain. The knight ended up an orphan at a very young age and was bizarrely taken in and raised by the Zora; the details of this strange event were still unclear, but considering the sensibility of the subject... Well, she decided it was best to keep her questions and unending curiosity to herself.  _ Maybe someday Mipha will tell me this particular story… Or Link, for that matter -that would actually be preferable _ .

So, taking all of the Champions’ stories, perspectives and comments into consideration, as well as what she herself had noticed from Link’s behaviour and abilities, she concluded that, indeed, he would be a  _ perfect  _ final addition to the Champions! And everyone shared her opinion, too; even Impa herself seemed to be approving of the idea of Link becoming the Hylian Champion, as the stoic sheikah had just complimented his unique stealth skills mere moments ago. It was plainly unanimous!

_ Eh, maybe not... There is an exception: Revali. He is the only one in disagreement, but still, this was to be expected given his fiery rivalry with Link... So, it falls under the category of subjective reasoning, then it absolutely does not count as it isn’t truly justified. _

There was only someone else left to state or suggest his opinion about the matter; that being Link himself. Zelda hadn’t the slightest as to what he could possibly say when the two met: would he quickly answer with a “yes” or a “no”? Would he give a thorough explanation of his reasoning? ...Would he even show up? The quiet knight was incredibly difficult to read, and thus, was rather unpredictable. She still had taken Mipha’s word and reasoning to heart and was completely hoping for Link to come forward with a solid “ _ yes _ ” as an answer, already forgiving him for his sudden, mysterious departure and subsequent delay.

Talking about his mysterious departure… She had done a bit of unofficial research around logs and other antique documents and found out something really interesting: the knight was always granted two weeks off around this time of the year.  _ Always _ . All knights had the right to have vacations, of course they had, but it was  _ extremely _ rare for them to always occur on the same days. Their annual days off were considerably flexible due to the volatile nature of their jobs.

Link having his days off on the same date every passing year meant he had stipulated them directly with High Command... and his wish being granted in turn meant it was for pretty important reasons… and even as the Princess, she couldn't find  _ any _ document mentioning such reasons...

It was all too temptingly secretive! Zelda was  _ sure _ there was more to this occurrence than met the eye.

_ Could he be part of some secret mission? Is Link doing special tasks for High Command, too occult for even me to know? …Perhaps they are related to Ganon's resurrection?! Ohh, that'd make sooo much sense!!! That would explain why Link was so easily convinced by the prophecy  _ _ and _ _ why he was chosen to be a Champion in the first place! He is the one who could provide us with the most extra details and information about the Calamity!!! _

Zelda wasn't even sure her wild hypotheses were remotely correct or well-fundamented and she already saw Link in a different light. The Princess was  _ elated _ , to say the least; she hadn’t even bothered to search for other worthy candidates for the title of Hylian Champion. Link  _ had  _ to accept it.

Saying that her expectations were incredibly high was a  _ major  _ understatement.

As the castle's courtyard came into sight, she prayed for her wishes, hopes and aforementioned expectations not to be sorely obliterated in the following hours.

~ o0O0o ~

The stables were considerably busy at the moment. Lots of people with different jobs and destinations were coming in and out of the business, their horses being treated and fed by the dedicated workers. Thankfully, no one around seemed to notice or recognize Link; that meant he still had a bit of time to recover from his journey.

What was originally estimated to be a trip back to the castle of approximately seven days turned out to be a three-day-run at breakneck speed through uncharted territory, Epona doing an extremely impressive job of keeping up with her master’s hurry and eagerness to return. However, as impressive as it was, both were absolutely  _ exhausted _ , they had slept far less than what would be considered healthy for any horse or man. To the duo’s credit, though, they were not your typical steed and rider; they both were  _ very _ well trained for situations such as this, where prime necessities like sleeping or eating were left in the background.

Even then, Link still didn’t like the idea of exploiting Epona’s enthusiasm, no matter how excited or pleased the horse would seem to be at a task magnificently well done. He had to make sure she was rewarded and treated accordingly.

The knight lovingly caressed Epona’s mane and picked up his baggy luggage; then, finishing his steed’s registration, he headed towards the stable master, who greeted Link with a wave of the hand.

“Morning. Give her the, uh...”, he amusedly read the treatment plans. “...the Hero’s treatment.”

“The horse at 2C… Hero’s Treatment…” The owner scribbled in his binnacle. “Noted. Ok, that’ll be 300 rupees, sir.” Link nonchalantly threw a gold rupee his way.

The stable master barely caught it. “Excellent! We assure you she’ll be in  _ very  _ good hands, sir; have a great day!”

Link simply nodded. He gave Epona a last reassuring look before exiting the stables.

_ Now, back to the task at hand. _

He was planning to quickly take his bags and equipment to his quarters, change his clothing and hopefully refresh a bit. Link was  _ certain  _ he was looking quite scruffy; he could clearly feel the weight of his eye bags dragging him down along the way. But resting wasn’t of utmost importance at the moment, right now he had to deliver his answer to Princess Zelda and the Champions; they had shown more than enough patience.

Then, as if the wind had heard his thoughts, he felt a familiar  _ puff  _ forming at his back, a little further behind, seemingly coming from the top of the stables. He lightly laughed as he turned around to find an exasperated Sheikah woman watching him from the shadows on the roof of the establishment. The sheikah jumped down to face him as soon as she noticed his staring. His tiredness had done  _ nothing  _ to dull his sharp senses.

“Well, well, ever the vigilant knight, huh?” Impa said in an exaggerated tone, trying to hide her annoyance. This only further amused Link, who remained with his quiet smile.

“Oh, quit your shit-eating grin. One day I’ll get the best of ya, be sure of that!”

“One day.” He plainly answered, dare invading his tone.

"You bet." Impa smiled defiantly for a brief moment, accepting the unmentioned challenge. She then shook the thought away, remembering Zelda’s orders. 

“Hey, listen. The Princess is waiting for you in the castle’s courtyard. She told me to make it clear that you should meet her at  _ noon _ , but seeing your state…” Impa started inspecting Link’s obvious lack of sleep and nourishment.

“ _ Ahem _ , just be sure to clean up a bit before going.”

Link wasn’t offended at all by her comment; on the contrary, he was grateful for it. Now he knew for a fact that he looked  _ horrible _ .

“Understood. Castle’s courtyard, at noon, refreshed. I’ll be there.”

“Great. See you, then.”

Link turned around and hurriedly picked up his bags. Impa took a minute to entertainingly watch how the sleep deprived man started racing at full speed towards his quarters.  _ On the brink of being mistaken for an undead, yet ever so damn energetic _ .

The sheikah too wished for him to join the Champions. She had never mentioned it explicitly, but still; Impa thought Link was more than deserving of the title of Hylian Champion.

_ It'd really suit him.  _

"..."

_ Oh, to hell with it _ .

“And Link?” The knight turned his head with a raised eyebrow.

“I dunno where you’ve been, nor if it really concerns me, but it’s good to have you back.”

He gave her a nod with a tiny smile. With this, Impa vanished from sight and Link carried on with his speedy trek. There still was a substantial amount of time left for him to unpack his luggage, order his equipment and revitalize himself; however, he wanted to arrive at the courtyard  _ as soon as possible _ , to show the Princess he was sorry for his delay by being surprisingly early. Maybe it wasn’t much of an apology, but it was a start.

Link arrived at the knight’s quarters shortly after. He carefully but quickly put all of his bags in his chest, took off his well-worn shirt, plunged it into a nearby bucket full of water and scrubbed his face and torso clean with it, emphasizing his eyes and armpits. After a few minutes of scrubbing, he watched himself in the reflection on the water’s surface: his eye bags were still showing. Considerably.

The tired knight kept scrubbing his eyes as he went on to reach into his chest once again. This time he searched, found and pulled out a small flask filled with lavender distilled essence; it was his secret for an efficient revitalization when it came to emergency clean-ups such as this. With a pop, he opened the flask and poured a bit of its contents into his hands. Link proceeded to spread the liquid into his face and chest in repeated, circular motions. Then, Link took a last look at his person in the water’s reflection: his scruffiness had receded  _ substantially _ ; not totally, though.  _ Well, this will have to do for the moment. _

With a satisfied smile, he searched for a new change of clothes; he made sure to choose an appropriate style of clothing for meeting a Royal Family member. Once he had them at hand, he took a quick peek around to make sure no one was nearby to watch him in his underwear, which was clean enough as to not require the immediate need of replacing it.

Thankfully, the only other people in the vicinity were too preoccupied with their own tasks to notice him. Link quickly seized the opportunity to take off his muddy pants and put on the new, cleaner pair. The same procedure was done with his socks and boots. Lastly, he put on a new, white shirt with a black gambeson on top of it. The gambeson was the most stylish item of clothing he had,  _ by far _ . It still didn’t compare to the attire Zelda would commonly wear, but it was good enough for meeting any member of the Royal Family. Or so he hoped; it’s not as if he had any other alternatives. He had to leave now.

As Link set off to the castle’s courtyard, he tried and failed to remember when was the last time he wore the gambeson; it felt pretty unfamiliar… Luckily, it grew on him rather quickly, due in no small part to how light, warm and comfortable it actually felt.

The day’s windiness couldn’t affect him now.

And being so close to his destination, he felt as though nothing could really affect or stop him. Link had to consciously quell his desire for continuing his race towards the courtyard; he knew running would only make him all sweaty again and destroy his lavender aroma, ruining the whole purpose of the detour to his quarters in the process.

But the knight just couldn’t help it; the chances of him becoming a Champion during the following hour were well above zero! That’s not something anyone could say without feeling a relentless excitement settling on their stomach, eating away all of the insides with a mixture of anxiousness and impatience.

...Or perhaps the origin of the feeling came from a different, consciously unknown source?

Now that he thought about it… He was extremely close to meet his childhood friend once again, after what seemed an eternity of lonely winters.

_ Oh nonono... One fluttery thought at the time, Link. _

He wasn’t sure he would be able to keep up with both his awaited reunion with Mipha  _ and  _ Zelda’s invitation to join the Champions - _ on the same day _ . It was too much excitement for him to handle.

_ Goddesses… And if possible, one Princess at the time, please. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally watched all of the cutscenes from Hyrule Warriors AoC, and wow. Link was an absolute beast in his prime... I'll definitely take this into consideration for future chapters.
> 
> But I digress; thank you for reading this far! The next chapter will be very... interesting. And entertaining, you'll see.
> 
> See you until then.


	6. Maskless

Zelda had lost herself in the vibrant liveliness of the castle's courtyard. The way the colors from all of the different flowers blended amongst themselves but also heavily contrasted the grayness of the castle behind was… immersive. Were it a painting, its creator surely would have been deemed the greatest artist to have ever lived. The sight could take total hold of any man's, woman's or child's attention with only a single glance.

The entirety of the garden was considerably old but was surprisingly well preserved, thanks in no small part to the great job and constant efforts from all of the gardeners who worked on it on a daily basis. It contained specimens originating from all corners of Hyrule: Necluda, Faron, Lanayru, Eldin, Akkala and even Hebra. They all were beautiful on their own right, of course, but none of them could compare to Zelda's favorite one: Silent Princesses. Enigmatic, rare, elegant, demanding… Too demanding, in the matter of fact. The flower had it all esthetically, but was nevertheless too fragile to be cultivated or grown in captivity. If you wanted to see one, then you'd have to go deep into the wilderness and try your luck. Even if you frequently travelled into uncharted territories and meticulously inspected every single piece of land on your way, the chances of encountering one were  _ abysmal _ at best; the flower's rarity apparently increased with every passing year.

A common theory said that the species would soon die off if the current trends were to continue; the fact that specialized conservation efforts kept failing time and time again and wasted many prime specimens didn't help either.

Zelda sadly sighed as she knelt and placed her hand on a bare piece of fertile but, evidently, unused soil; it was the only part of the courtyard in such conditions. A handwritten inscription that read "Silent Princess" could barely be seen on a broken, forgotten wooden sign that rested at a side of the empty spot. The handwriting seemed to have belonged to a very young child. 

"One day…" Zelda thoughtfully said to herself.

_ One day. _

Having finished uttering her hushed promise to herself, she then decidedly stood up and headed towards the gazebo sitting in the middle of the courtyard. There still remained some time until noon, so she would have to wait around a bit more until Link showed up.  _ If  _ he was to come exactly at noon, that is; in reality, she'd probably end up waiting much longer for him.

Or so she initially thought.

When Zelda arrived at the structure, she saw a man in the distance wearing a black gambeson and a pair of light brown pants; he was looking around the edges of the courtyard. To her surprise, when the man made eye contact with her, he started to hurriedly approach her.

_ Could he be…? _

_ Yes! That 's Link! _

As the knight came closer and closer, Zelda now  _ clearly _ recognized him; his long, blonde hair was unmistakable. He was incredibly early! And here she was beginning to think he would be late.

Link climbed the last set of stairs in a more calm, disciplined pace before stopping at the top, looking directly at the Princess in the eye from a short yet respectful distance. The two stared at each other for what seemed to be a few seconds, but Link absolutely felt them like  _ hours _ ; apparently neither knew what to say or how to start the awaited conversation.

They also had begun studying each other's expression and demeanor in a respectful silence: only the rustling of the wind could be heard. The knight noticed that Zelda was awfully serene and relaxed; he expected her to be angry or at the very least  _ annoyed  _ for his delay, but she wasn't...  _ Was me being early that impactful? _

The Princess, on the other hand, was entertained but flattered at the same time by Link's attempt to appear more formal. She thought it was a nice gesture, but a bit weird nonetheless. It's not that his current attire didn't suit him, it's just that seeing Link wearing anything besides his usual armor or uniform was… Unnatural. At least for her, that is.

_ His usual clothing would have sufficed, yet he decided to go the extra mile... How thoughtful. _

And was it her imagination, or was he carrying a strong, floral smell? Was it… Lavender?  _ Huh. Maybe the wind essenced him on his way here. _

As Zelda mutedly kept overanalyzing him, Link started debating whether he should've knelt or not when he entered the gazebo. He had done so just once in the past and she wasn't too approving of it, so he hadn't bothered to greet her with a kneel ever since then. But seeing her now frozen in place, staring at him expectantly... It was far too late to make up for his lack of manners! Kneeling  _ now _ would undoubtedly look both dumb and forced. Should he speak up first and apologize for this? What if she-

"Welcome back, Knight Link. I've been awaiting your return."

Thankfully, Zelda started talking before his mind could race any further.

_ That was close. _

"Princess."

"Before anything else, I want to make it clear how much I fully appreciate your effort for arriving here early..." Zelda was speaking in an unnaturally calm voice, using a tone akin to what politicians would use. Speaking in such a neutral way made it sound as if no emotions were truly being felt by the person talking.

There was a reason as to why Zelda was wearing this particular voice, though.

"...Even then, I must admit you have tarried with your answer for far more time than I ever thought you would."

Link diverted his sight from the Princess to the stone floor, dropping his stoic facade for a moment. He knew in his heart that his departure was justified, but he still felt bad for keeping her and the Champions in the dark for so long. No true knight would have done so voluntarily.

Zelda satisfiedly noticed his ashamed, apologetic look. She felt it was absolutely wrong to play with his emotions, making him feel sorry for a cause that was most probably totally justified, but it was a necessary step in her plan to find immediate answers -or at the very least  _ clues- _ about the circumstances of his periodic, annual departures.

And she wasn't going to ask him directly. Oh no,  _ that _ would be blunt.

"Worry not, Link. I'm aware you always take some time off during this particular time of the year. And in the light of that fact… I must thank you, actually, for you have shown great compromise to Hyrule and especially to us by returning far earlier than you were originally meant to."

Link was perplexed by this. She knew about his stipulated departures?  _ Then she surely knows about Or- _

"I sincerely hope you didn't leave any unfinished business in order to hurry your way here. Whatever task it is you yearly do, I'm sure it is of utmost importance."

Aaand there it was, the whole purpose of using her politician tone and subtle manipulation: she wanted to persuade Link to voluntarily admit to her what monumental and secretive task he was so devotedly doing for High Command.

Zelda turned slightly to the side, apparenting a lack of interest in his mysterious business; internally she was  _ dying _ for him to respond. The short wait for his answer was killing her.

The knight, however, was even more perplexed now.

_ Ah? So she does know about my departures, but she doesn't know why I leave in the first place…? _

_ Hm… Well, I guess there's no harm in her knowing. She deserves to hear the truth. _

"I, uh..." As soon as Link opened his mouth, Zelda gave him a look of unbridled intrigue. She actually couldn't believe Link had been convinced into talking this easily.

The knight was instead thinking on how much of his story he should tell her, as he wasn't very comfortable with counting it and reliving it in the process.

_ Just enough to satiate her curiosity; nothing more, nothing less. _

"You see… My father passed away long, long ago. He too used to be a knight, an accomplished one, so he was close with certain important people. These important people yearly grant me a fixed period of time off during his birthday, which was last week. I use this time off to celebrate his memory by visiting his resting place."

_ Wait a minute. _

_ Wait wait wait wait. _

_ No. _

_ Excuse me. _

_ What? _

Zelda now stared at him blankly, her calmness being replaced with a sudden hollowness and a single tear of cold sweat.

Link could see she was thinking  _ hard _ , as if she were processing -or analyzing- what he had just said. Had he shared too much?

_ Did… Did I hear that right...? _

Of course she did.

_ Oh, is he even telling the truth...? _

And of course he was. Zelda could  _ feel _ the sorrow and nostalgia in his voice; Link was unmistakably telling the truth.

_ But… _

_ High Command… All of the secrecy… Was it all just to hide a light case of nepotism? _

Yes.

It, unfortunately, made perfect sense.

"..."

_ Goddammit, Zelda. _

_ You and your damn assumptions. _

"U-uhm… Uh, I'm very,  _ very _ sorry to hear that! I would have never imagined-"

Link had an extremely puzzled look on his face that paralyzed her in place. The Princess had completely dropped her facade of a compassionate monarch and was now acting more like an ashamed, stuttering girl.

_ Heh, maybe she isn't used to situations such as this. Hylia knows I've been there too.  _ Link reminisced for a minute at the times when some of his fellow knights told him a few of their most personal tragedies and troubles: disease, death of a close relative, hopelessness for the future, nightmares… Just what on Hyrule was he to say? How could he find the right words to say in such spontaneous moments of emotional openness and trust? Most often than not he would keep quiet and give their fellow companions a reassuring look with an awkward pat on the shoulder. It was the best he could think of doing.

Zelda, meanwhile, had continued with her barrage of eulogic and apologetic words.

"...I-I'm certain he was a great knight! One of the greatest, in fact! If he was close with people on High Command then he must have fulfilled his-"

"Princess."

"...Yes?"

"It's alright.  _ Really _ . You don't have to say anything." Link decided to help her out. He wasn't that cruel as to leave her on her own in such a familiarly difficult social situation. "It all happened so long ago."

Zelda seemed a bit more at ease now.

"I…", she sighed deeply. "Thank you, Link. But I insist: I'm sure he was a great man."

"That he was."

It was already noon. The sun shone while sitting perfectly in the middle of the sky, giving warmth and light to the beautiful courtyard as the strong wind donned life and movement to each and every piece of unique flora that resided in the antique garden. Both forces of nature remained blissfully unaware of the awkward situation that had just developed directly below them.

Well, it  _ should've been _ awkward.

The Princess and the knight  _ had _ indeed remained in silence, but it wasn't an uncomfortable one per se. Both understood better than anyone else that sometimes it was best to keep a respectful silence amidst a conversation to search for more proper words or things to say; it was preferable than guessing and blatantly spilling out words left and right in the hopes  _ some _ or  _ any _ of them would actually be adequate.

Zelda appreciated  _ a lot _ Link's patience and candidness with her, but still felt very horrible and disappointed with herself for manipulating him for a dumb, wild assumption, as subtle as she was and as good as her intentions were. She had been staring at the floor ever since the death of the pitiful conversation.

Link in turn had been staring at the horizon and at the magnificent garden surrounding them. The colors, the flowery aroma, the warm light, the feeling of the wind stroking his hair… He hadn't had the time to truly appreciate it before, but know…

"It is beautiful."

Zelda jumped slightly at his sudden words. As she looked up, she noticed he was contemplating the beauty of the courtyard in deep thought. His words were probably meant more for himself than for her; still, she answered him, equally dumbfounded by the monumental sight.

"It really is. Countless generations of impeccable gardeners have taken very good care of it, each too adding a little something to the greater picture." Her tone had recovered her calmness, but this time it  _ did _ feel natural: this voice was no facade, no mask.

"It shows." Link insisted on admiring the location for a bit longer.

Zelda now stared at the knight. With a few words in the course of less than an hour she had gotten to meet him on a whole, different level. A more personal one. Now that she really thought about it... This was the first time she had ever seen him out of his stoic, knightly attitude, out of his emotionless persona, despite already being acquainted with him for what felt like decades.

She liked this Link. He still was by no means talkative or at the very least slightly sentimental, but he felt more human, more agreeable. He wasn't "just another soldier" in her mind anymore.

He really had the foundations of a great Champion.

_ Oh, right… That was the whole purpose of our reunion here. _

"Link?"

The knight instantly diverted his sight from the horizon and directed it towards the Princess, as if he was ready for action, as if he was ready to follow one of her orders.

Zelda was taken aback by his sudden sharpness, but decided to ignore it altogether and keep speaking.

"I fear we have digressed far too much; let's not forget the main reason why I summoned you here."

Link nodded in accordance, and approached Zelda a bit further.

"As you remember, two weeks ago you were offered a spot amongst the Champions  _ and _ amongst the Royal Guard. Accepting either offer would mean accepting the other one, too." Zelda diligently reminded him the conditions of the proposal. "You were granted with enough time to think about the most appropriate answer and to come back to us with it."

Link noticed how Zelda stopped talking for a minute, deliberating whether she should carry on with her speech or if she should just bluntly ask him for his answer.

She decided to instead comfort Link about the aftermath of his decision.

"Before giving me your answer, Link, there is something I must say and make perfectly clear: whatever your decision is… Know that It absolutely will  _ not  _ negatively impact your image. No one will think less of you if you so wish to deny the invitation. This I can promise." It pained Zelda to even consider the possibility of him refusing to become a Champion, but she still had to. And if he truly were to turn the invitation down… Well, she wanted to make it clear there'd be no strings attached.

"Considering all of what I've previously mentioned, as well as your own thoughts and feelings about the offer..." Zelda swallowed  _ hard _ before finishing her sentence.

"Do you wish to accept it? ...And become both the Hylian Champion and a member of the Royal Guard?" The Princess almost choked on these last words, the anxiousness in her person almost becoming too much to bear.

To her stupefaction and pure delight, Link answered immediately and with zero hesitation.

"Yes. I accept the offer." Link fiercely declared with a burning determination. 

_ Dear Hylia. _

Zelda felt as if she was about to pass out from the sudden spike of excitement.

_ He did accept...!!! _

"Link! Oh, excellent! That's- Well, um…" She realized she had started jumping. The Princess had to pause and inhale deeply in an effort to collect herself. "Eh, that's great news, really; I must make preparations at once!"

"Ah… About that… Could I ask you something, Princess?"

"Of course! What's on your mind? Do you want to make a suggestion for the ceremony?!"

"Oh, no, not that..." Link couldn't find a way to put his thoughts into words without sounding rude.  _ Well, here goes nothing. _

"...Could the formalities be skipped? I-I mean, they aren't really  _ that _ necessary, are they?"

Zelda was taken by surprise by his inquiry.

"Oh. Well, they are a way to make your titling official, the same is true for the titling of the rest of the Champions. Besides, after the ceremony, the entirety of Hyrule will now know for certain you all are Champions! People from all corners of the world will-"

Then the Princess noticed Link's bashful and uncomfortable expression. She was amused by his childish reaction.

"Ah, I see… So, you don't like ceremonies then?" Zelda said in a slightly teasing way; she  _ never _ would have imagined Link to be  _ this _ shy or  _ this _ introverted.

"No, not really. I've always been more of the do-the-job-and-go-home type."

When he finished his sentence, he swore he could feel the ground shaking a little...

"Ohh, don't worry! I'm sure this ceremony will be to your liking-"

Then the tremors grew.

"-if you are a fan of food, then we could-"

Now the tremors were obviously apparent, even Zelda noticed them. But before anyone could say anything about the matter…

"LITTLE GUUUUUY!!!"

...the origin of the shaking showed itself up from a distance.

" _ Daruk!!! _ Slow down, for Hylia's sake!"

The Goron Champion was coming directly towards them at full speed, while a clearly distressed Impa closely followed him closely behind in a very tiring sprint.

Link turned to Zelda and sheepishly bowed his head, as if saying “please excuse him”. The Princess, delighted by Daruk’s acting, gave Link permission to go and greet him; she was curious to see their interaction.

The knight then hurriedly abandoned the gazebo to meet his goron brother after oh so  _ long _ . Besides, he knew that Daruk would absolutely destroy the gazebo if he were to climb it at his speed.

As Link started to close in, he braced himself for the impact.

Both running at full speed, the duo finally met near the edges of the courtyard. Daruk greeted Link with a  _ colossal _ slap on the back accompanied by his classic, noisy laughter; if the knight hadn't been expecting the friendly but titanic strike, it surely would have proved devastating to his ribs and spine.

"Little Guy!!! It's really you!!! We  _ finally _ meet again!"

"Great to see you, too!" Link did his best to suppress the pain from his sore back.

Daruk started inspecting Link up and down: the hylian was  _ considerably _ taller and more developed than he remembered.

"HAHAHA! Just look at'cha!!! You've grown lots, Link! At this rate you'll be puttin' to shame the mightiest of gorons at my command!"

Zelda giggled as she saw the pair laugh and mingle -from a distance, of course. She didn't want to risk being slapped in the back by Daruk just like Link was.  _ As if he'd ever do that to me _ , she mused.  _ But still, better safe than sorry. _

Impa, on the other hand, completely ignored the jovial duo and slowly approached the Princess.

Zelda instantly noticed Impa's lack of breath. She hid it pretty well in her pacing, but her heavy panting betrayed her.

"Weren't you going to tell the Champions about Link's return  _ after _ I spoke with him?"

"That… was… the plan, yeah." Impa was still catching her breath from her little chase after Daruk. 

"Then, what happened?"

"Not  _ my _ fault." The sheikah stopped for a minute to fully recover, taking some quick, deep breaths. Zelda patiently watched her with an empathetic smile. 

Impa impressively recovered (almost) fully in a matter of seconds.

"Ok…" She sighed satisfied. "Much, much better. But that's enough of that! Now, where was I…? Oh yeah, about Daruk. Wasn't my fault, Princess: he himself heard the news from some passing knights who saw Link in the stables."

"If that's the case, then how did he know he was here?"

"I'm getting there! He went searching for me like crazy not long after, wanting to know whether they had said the truth or not. As soon as I ever so slightly suggested the words  _ courtyard _ and  _ princess _ the maniac blasted towards here in a classic goron sprint."

"And you followed him until here."

"Damn right I did! Thought I could distract him and buy you some time. But, ah… well, here we are now."

The sheikah then turned to face the Hylian and Goron brothers. They still were deep in conversation, Daruk's voice being able to be heard from a mile away.

"Hm. Good news is that he's the only Champion that knows about Link being here. Didn't see the others on the way."

"Don't worry, you can now tell the rest of the Champions the news."

" _ What?! _ Princess, with all due respect, I've just- Hooooold on a moment." Impa then suddenly got very close to Zelda, as if she were to whisper something in her ear.

_ "Already? _ " Impa inquired with a hushed tone. "Have you... already finished your talk with Link?"

"Yes, he arrived surprisingly early!" Zelda didn't bother to mimic the secretiveness in Impa's voice.

"And what did he say?! Come on, he has already left us in enough suspense!"

Zelda just gave Impa an eager smile.

"Oh… He accepted, then! So, that boy behind me-" she signaled Link with her thumb without turning her head. "-are we actually now in the presence of the Hylian Champion?"

"Indeed we are, Impa!"

The Sheikah woman then briefly turned around to glance at Link.

"I believe he will be an esplendid addition to the team! Especially because of his great combat skills and experience in the wild. Don't you think so, Impa?"

Impa kept on eyeing the now Hylian Champion for a few extra seconds. She then turned to face Zelda again, this time with a small smile on her usually serious semblance.

"Yeah... He'll do well. I've no doubt about that.

The sheikah then went to stand at the Princess' side, wanting to keep watching the Goron and Hylian Champion on their heartwarming reunion. Even  _ she  _ had to admit they were rather entertaining together.

"I've just one question."

"Oh? What is it?"

"Now that he's also part of your Royal Guard, will you have him follow you around all the time while also running errands for you? Or only do  _ I  _ get that job?"

Zelda quickly turned her head towards her sheikah friend and weakly punched her in the shoulder. " _ Impa! _ "

"What? Just saying." Impa lightly laughed both at Zelda's reaction and at her laughable strike. "And we're gonna have to work on that punch, Princess."

"You know, now that you mention it, I do have a little, extra errand for you to do."

"Are you being serious or do you just wanna take revenge on me?"

"Both, actually." Impa laughed a bit louder and turned to completely face Zelda.

"Alright, what is it, your Highness?"

"Would you be so kind as to pack and take his belongings from his old quarters to the new one? ...Let's just say I owe it to him."

The sheikah gave her a hard, weirded out look. Out of all of her requests, this had to be one of the weirdest ones so far.

"...Why?"

"Look, I… kinda screwed up in our previous conversation. No, I actually screwed up  _ big time _ . I thought maybe this little favor could be something of an apology for my bluntness."

"Well, that's on you, then;  _ you _ go pack them."

"But Impa! You know you are the one I trust the most with matters such as this! Besides, you know exactly the location of both his old and new quarters, I don't know where does he currently reside, and you..."

Finally, Zelda noticed her companion's grin.

"...You are just messing with me."

"Took ya long enough."

To Impa's further amusement, the Princess had involuntarily pouted at her little joke.

"Oh, don't worry, Princess. Consider it done. I'll do it after telling the other Champions about Link's return."

"Thank you! It truly-"

"On  _ one _ condition: you'll tell me how you screwed up during the conversation."

"I…! I… I guess that's only fair..." she sighed in defeat. "Alright, then, have it your way."

"Great. I'll be on my way, unless there's something else…?"

"No, that's all for now. If anything else comes up, I'll be sure to let you know."

"Right. Now it's time for yet another errand of yours… You know, as of lately you've been treating me like your personal delive-"

"YOU ARE NOW ONE OF US?!"

Both Impa and Zelda jumped and covered themselves defensively at Daruk's sudden, explosive roar. A little bit louder than that and it surely would have stunned them.

When the duo turned to glare at him, they saw Link being carried around in a celebratory manner by his fellow Champion. “Hahahaha! That’s excellent news!!! I always knew this day’d come, brother! Oh, I can’t  _ wait  _ to train with ya again!!!”

Looking at the knight's expression, it was clear this was nothing new to him, but still seemed to be a bit embarrassed by Daruk's display of pure and uncontrolled happiness.

Zelda wasted no time to start laughing at the wonderful sight, dropping her glare almost immediately. Impa was still considerably annoyed by Daruk's unbridled expressiveness, though.  _ Hmph, he just can be too damn noisy at times. _

The sheikah wondered how would their future attitudes change now that they both were Champions. Would Daruk start gaining some of Link's seriousness? ...Or would the hylian be instead the one influenced by the goron, becoming increasingly jovial and loud with every passing day?  _ Hylia almighty, I sincerely hope Link never starts mimicking this goron friend of his. _

Anyhow, annoyed or not by his personality, she had to agree with him: Link was  _ now  _ a Champion, and she too had seen it coming. All things considered, Impa was glad he was the one to receive the title in the end. He really was worthy of the name of “Hylian Champion”. Besides, he was already acquainted with the rest of the Champions, this was going to make things much easier for them as a group.

_ And a whole lot more interesting… _

Impa too was looking forward to seeing them all together in action. Revali's deadly precision and mastery over the skies, Urbosa’s tactical mind and lighting-wielding swordsmanship, Mipha’s curative magic and graceful spearmanship accompanied by her aquatic mastery, Daruk’s unparalleled, monstrous strength and his impenetrable, defensive powers… And all of  _ this  _ now in synergy with Link’s tremendous experience in combat, blinding speed  _ and  _ undying stamina!?  _ Hell, they’ll be unstoppable -and that’s putting it mildly. _

The sheikah just hoped for them to learn to work together quickly. Issues within the team would inevitably show up, she had no doubt about that, but maybe with Link’s and Urbosa’s discipline things could turn up well in the end…

But there was no way of knowing for sure. She could only wait and see how things would start developing in the near future.

Besides, she needn’t have to worry about that right now: she had a few relatively urgent matters to tend to, some errands to run for Zelda, some Champions to notify about Link’s return...

_ Let’s see how differently will they all react to the news. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was lucky this week and got a bit more of free time to write this chapter, so I uploaded it a bit earlier than usual~
> 
> And about the chapter itself, all I have to say is that AoC Impa is a very fun character to write about.
> 
> Oh, and as always, thank you all for your kind words! See you until the next chapter.


	7. Crimson Intrusion

The Champions were rarely seen together during their stay in Hyrule Castle. Unless they were all called into a meeting, each of them minded their own business doing different tasks around the kingdom.

This didn't mean they didn't get along; it just meant that the places where they'd usually be -where each of their unique skills were most helpful- didn't coincide much.

The only pair that frequently met were, surprisingly, Daruk and Revali. The duo would often visit the training grounds and spend their time either training themselves or giving drills and plenty of combat advice to the kingdom's soldiers. The Champions’ motives behind their help were different, though.

The Goron Champion did take sincere joy in helping the soldiers become better and more capable fighters; there was a certain pride that came with being an effective teacher. The Rito Champion, however, was mostly interested in impressing them with his masterful aerial maneuvers and unmatched aim with his bow and arrow. The fact that he was too helping them in some way by showing the archers his unique technique came second in his mind.

Urbosa, while being tremendously skilled with her one-handed-sword-and-shield combo, didn't frequent the training grounds much. She'd usually either be accompanying Zelda on her daily routines or in talks with King Rhoam about both political and personal issues. The Gerudo Chief was close to Hyrule's Royal Family to say the least; she was an old friend of both the King and the late Queen -and something of a maternal figure for the Princess.

Mipha was by far the Champion with the widest range of activities; this was only to be expected, as she too was the Champion with the greatest number of unique skills.

Combat training, healing, practicing her water manipulation abilities, participating in political meetings, solving logistical issues in the Zoras' Embassies… It was pretty difficult knowing where would the hardworking Zora Princess be at any given time.

This windy day in particular she had decided to spend her morning in the Zoras' Embassy near Castle Town; she knew they needed help with some troubles that had risen from faulty spending logs. Their political relationship with the Hylians was... _shaky_ at best, so the devoted Princess wanted to make her people look as good as she could in the eyes of the kingdom with every task she participated in; solving this faulty logging issue and contributing to Zora logistical mastery would undoubtedly be of huge help to accomplishing her socially ambitious goal.

The workers of the Embassy were very surprised -and a bit ashamed- when they heard that their Princess, out of all people, would be the one getting them out of their difficult and annoying situation.

"We're terribly sorry to bother you with our inconvenience, Lady Mipha..."

"Oh, I assure you it's no bother at all, I'm just happy to be of any assistance. Now, where should I start?"

"Uh, here; the inconsistencies seem to have begun last year, with this delivery of white ChuChu jelly..."

And with that, she got to work.

The problem wasn't _that_ hard to decipher, actually; a more suiting description for the situation would be "elaborate". Mipha knew what the issue was in a matter of minutes, but solving and undoing all of the repercussions it had caused? _That_ would take _hours_.

Luckily, time seemed to have passed quickly for her as she began enjoying more and more the arduous task; she took it more like a personal challenge and not exactly like an ordinary, exhausting job.

The rest of the zoras didn't even attempt interrupting her, seeing how fixated she had become in her work. They only came near her to leave some treats and drinks on her desk, which she appreciated greatly.

_Just a few pages more, Mipha..._

The Embassies carried on with their daily work and routines while Mipha remained focused on correcting the logs.

After some time, and out of the blue, the Zora Champion quickly stood up with a heavy sigh. The zora workers watched in amazement as their Princess swiftly double-checked all of her new records and scribbling. When she finished her fourth check, she smiled at her results: they undoubtedly were on the right track.

She then gleefully but calmly approached the zora in charge of the Embassy with the new, corrected logs on her hand.

"I have finished solving the issue; I documented and justified all of my findings in these first pages..." Mipha showed him her notes. "...On the rest of the pages I corrected all of the past logs, taking into account both my observations and the yearly tax changes..."

She continued to thoroughly explain her work; she didn't want to miss a single detail.

"...And that brings us right here, to today's spending. I believe I have calculated it correctly, but be sure to give it another inspection of your own. Should you find any other inconsistencies, please, let me know." Mipha finished her reasoning with a very slight hint of pride in her voice.

"Princess, My Lady, are you being serious?! This is more than any of us could've asked for! Seriously, this is a task equivalent to three days of continuous work!"

The entirety of the Embassy was now showering her in compliments. She was truly moved by their words, but was also bit annoyed by them nonetheless; they just sometimes were a little too much, too over the top.

Mipha was very humble by nature, and as such she thought a simple "thanks" would be enough for showing appreciation for any and all actions she did, even for actions as hard and objectively impressive like this one. The majority of people insisted on gratifying her with endless speeches, though; she thought this to be thanks -for the most part- to her royal status.

She was a Princess, afterall; people would always want to be on her good side, or at the very least wish to be noticed by her, and would throw compliments left and right to try to get their way, even if they really didn’t mean all of what they said. Thankfully, she had developed a kind of automated response when over-embellished praise came her way; it was, in fact, active right now.

_Thank you all, but my job here is done... I really should just take my leave..._

She approached the structure’s exit further and further with every persistent compliment she so gracefully took.

A few moments later, Mipha finally exited the Embassy, a light smile drawn on her face at a task well done. She was then wildly surprised when she noticed the time: it was already past noon! How on Hyrule did time pass _this_ quickly? The Zora Champion had originally planned to accompany Daruk on his training after finishing her work on the Embassy, but it was far too late now! _He surely must have finished by now..._

She now considered her options in deep thought. _Maybe I should do some combat training on my own? It has been a while since I last practiced my technique with my trident… But then again, it would be preferable to train with someone else. Yes, I can spar with Daruk tomorrow. Today perhaps there's something for me to-_

"Here you are. At last."

Mipha was bewildered by the sudden interruption of her thoughts. When she turned around she saw an impatient Impa approaching her.

"Oh, Impa! Did you need me for something?"

"Not really, I was just looking for you to share some news."

The zora gave her an attent and curious look. If Impa had come this far to deliver the news personally, then they were of utmost importance.

"Don't worry, it's nothing bad. It's about Link,-" Mipha's heart skipped a beat at her few words. "-he's returned, and has already met with the Princess."

It was getting harder and harder to maintain her calm semblance.

"Not only that, but he accepted the offer. Rather quickly, in fact. So… Yeah, he's now officially the Hylian Champion. Princess Zelda wanted me to tell you all the news."

Mipha at this point hadn’t been capable of hiding her surge of pure surprise and excitement. Impa watched the Zora Champion slightly amused and certainly intrigued by her display: she was trying the impossible to calm herself.

"Oh… Please, excuse me! It's just that… Well, you must understand: he's a very close friend of mine, one that I haven’t seen in a long time." Mipha started acting rather bashfully; her condition worsened a little when she realized that Impa had perfectly read her embarrassing expression.

"That much is apparent." The Zora Champion was now battling a blush.

Impa was genuinely surprised: she hadn't predicted her to be _this_ happy at Link's return. _That boy has more influence than Princess Zelda herself..._

"Anyhow… That's all I came to say. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave."

"Wait. I have a few questions, if I may?"

"Sure. What do you wanna know?"

"...How long has he been here?"

"Since early morning."

Mipha was both hurt and irritated by this information. _Since early morning?!_ Why wasn't she told before? Surely the Champions had to be told of these kinds of news as soon as possible…

"Couldn't tell you before since you were in the Zoras' Embassies, _very_ hard at work I must say."

Impa had totally heard and answered her unvoiced question.

"Had to wait until you were done. Whatever it was you were doing, it seemed pretty important."

And she wasn't mistaken: correcting the logs was indeed of great importance. Mipha knew that if she had been told of Link's return amidst her challenging work, she wouldn't have been able to focus properly. So, yes, Impa had definitely acted accordingly.

"Does that mean you have been waiting for me outside this whole time? Oh… Impa, I sincerely appreciate your patience -and understanding."

"Don't mention it. Now, do you have any other questions?"

The Zora Princess did have a last inquiry, but was unsure whether she should voice it or not; she feared she’d appear too intrusive.

The excitement for seeing her precious friend once again was stronger than her doubts and timidness, though.

"If I may be so bold… Could I know where Link is at the moment?"

"At his new quarters as a member of the Royal Guard."

Mipha wished for Impa to not be so vague with her answers. Didn't she notice her obvious bashfulness with each and every question she asked about Link?

"...And where could that be, exactly...?" She decided to ask further with a tiny, almost inaudible voice.

"Directly beside the main portion of the castle, the first construction at the right. Link's room is the first one, 01A."

"Very well. Thank you, Impa; that is all I wanted to know."

"Right. I'll be going then. Take care."

"You too; farewell."

With their conversation finished, Impa quickly vanished from sight, leaving a slightly flustered Mipha alone with her thoughts. A _lot_ had happened that morning unbeknownst to her. Link returning _and_ becoming a Champion on the same day? Why, it was as if she was dreaming! _Now I definitely know what I’m doing for the rest of the day._

Setting aside her enthusiasm for seeing Link once again, she was worried for him. Mipha was certain he had just come back from his trip to Ordon: his dear, fallen hometown. Going back to such a gloomy place and revisiting so many memories of bygone times wasn’t easy for him; it undeniably took a certain emotional toll on him, even if he himself denied it and actively hid it surprisingly well.

The Zora Princess was the only one who was aware of this inner torment of his, and as such she too was the only one who could help him feel better.

She always did.

_So, at the eastern side of the castle, the first construction in sight, the first room, 01A… It sounds simple enough._ The castle was considerably far from the Embassies; she needed to hurry if she wanted to have a reasonable amount of time to spend with Link. _Goddesses know he won’t take long to spring back into action._

And without further ado, the Zora Princess set off to the Royal Guards’ quarters with a slightly hurried pace. On her way she started wondering how different he'd be now… Physically, that is. The last time they two saw each other Link was about her same height, but Mipha was well aware of how fast Hylians age in comparison to the Zoras. Their adolescent growth spurt was especially impressive: children became fully developed men and women in what seemed the blink of an eye -of a Zora eye, at least.

_Hm… Perhaps he'll just be ever so slightly taller than me; I don't remember him being particularly tall under Hylian standards._

Mipha continued making educated guesses of Link’s physical changes during the past pair of years whilst she made her way to his new home; her smooth skin and scales were glistening under the direct sunlight.

From the shadows, however, a certain sheikah had remained watching her very carefully…

Impa kept silently inspecting Mipha from a distance long after their conversation had ended, her curiosity getting the best of her. She was aware of the Zora Princess' relationship with Link, but judging from her previous reactions… Well, she hadn't expected them to be _this_ close.

Admittedly, seeing Mipha stray from her normally calm and collected self was an entertaining experience. The sheikah felt a bit sadistic for intentionally making the poor zora girl suffer with her vagueness, but she had just discovered a whole new aspect of her personality, a very interesting one; naturally, she felt the need to press her for further reactions to get to know more about this new Mipha.

_Guess I'll know more when I see them together side by side as Champions._

  
  


~ o0O0o ~

  
  


Link had actually forgotten he now had new quarters.

Had he remembered, he would have kept the luggage from his trip with him; this way he would have saved some time by directly taking part of his belongings to his new place without having to go back for them to his old quarters.

Zelda, however, had insisted for him not to worry about moving his possessions, as she had already instructed Impa to pick them up for him. Link was slightly annoyed by this, as he was pretty overbearing and protective of his belongings; he wasn't keen on letting others rummage around his stuff. 

Anyways, he thanked the Princess for her thoughtfulness, as she had indeed saved him a considerable amount of time that he could now dedicate to fully bathing: he hadn't forgotten he still wasn't totally cleaned up nor refreshed from his trip back to the castle.

Thankfully, his new quarters weren't that far from the courtyard. Link was actually very excited to see them, as he was told he now had his own, private bathtub and an entire private room! The knight valued tremendously this new, promised privacy, as that was something he certainly lacked in his previous residence.

Not that he hated company or despised being around others, but he enjoyed having some time for himself every now and then. Besides, he had a hobby of sorts he preferred nobody to know about: writing. It was nothing special, really. He just liked retelling what he did during certain days, narrating some events of note he came across, or even just jotting down some new food recipes he came up with; doing this assured he'd never forget a single detail of such important memories. Furthermore, it kept both his memory and writing skills sharp.

_And this… This is something I’m definitely going to write about today._

Link admired the building belonging to the Royal Guard: he was now standing in front of it. It was both impressively decorated and elegantly designed! It obviously didn't compare to the luxury or commodity of the Royal Family's residence, but still, it was far fancier than his previous Knight's Quarters.

Link really didn't mind his past lack of luxury, though; having a place to sleep and a place to store his stuff was more than enough for him. Actually, he felt weird now.

As soon as he entered the elegant construction, he felt... out of place. Never before had he resided in a high-class place… Or had he?

_No. My times at Mipha’s place in Zora’s Domain certainly don’t count; it wasn’t really my own home._

The Hylian Champion reminisced for a bit at the times he’d frequent Mipha back when he lived in the Domain; those warm memories were amongst the happiest and most valuable in his mind.

_I wonder where could she be right now… Didn’t see her anywhere on my way here. Hmph, I really should’ve asked the Princess before leaving._

_Ah, well. I’ll go and look for her myself when I’m done bathing._

“So… She said it to be the first room at the right…"

"Yes, this is exactly it.” He concluded as he noticed the metallic plate next to the door at the right: it read “01A”.

The now Royal Guard was in front of his new place of residence, keys in hand. He looked around the empty hall and noticed there was a substantial amount of space between each room. _Huh, she wasn't exaggerating when mentioning the “surprising privacy”._

With a twist of the key, Link opened the door and entered his room. As soon as he laid his eyes on the sight he felt utterly amazed: everything was so spacious, so shiny, so… surreal. Was all of this _really_ just for him?

He quickly closed the door behind him and proceeded to inspect his new home:

There was the aforementioned bathroom hidden behind another single door in the far left corner, his bed directly in front of it -in the far right corner-, there were some armour and weapon stands near the entrance, in the near right corner was a personal desk already equipped with ink and some papers on its drawers, on the side of the desk resided the storage -composed of three big chests and some shelves-, at the back was a balcony that oversaw the horizon, and directly left of him even was a damn mini kitchen! It was composed of an unlit fireplace with some cushioned wooden chairs and a small table.

Link simply couldn't believe it. He felt as if the quarters didn’t really belong to him; it was all just so great! _Too_ great, in fact... He now had a private place where he could write in his journal in peace, as well as a small kitchen to experiment on his new recipes during his free time! _Heh, as if I’m going to have any free time from now on..._

Before getting any more excited, though, he remembered he still had to refresh thoroughly, unless he wanted the lavender smell to start wearing off…

_Absolutely not_.

There was no time to waste! Link rapidly took off both his gambeson and his shirt, nonchalantly throwing them on his bed. He then went to the bathroom, closed the door behind him and prepared his bath.

As the bathtub began filling up with warm water, he proceeded to inspect all of the bathing accessories that the room was equipped with: towels, brushes, sponges… What especially caught his eye were some mysterious little glass bottles laying at the side of the wooden tub: they were all liquid soaps with different floral essences! And surely enough, there was one of lavender! He instantly grabbed that one and childishly poured a bit of its contents into the water.

Satisfied with the water’s temperature and lavender smell, Link finally took off the rest of his clothings, folding and leaving his pants and underwear in a nearby piece of furniture, and carefully but excitedly entered the alluring, soapy bath.

The feeling was… _heavenly_. Ethereal, even.

Link had forgotten how great hot baths were; It had been _ages_ since he last took one. He could feel every muscle and bone in his body relax with the warm, cleansing feeling.

After a minute or so of just relaxing in the water, he started to lazily scrub and wash his body with a brush, creating lots of bubbles and foam in the process; a strong, lavender smell permeated him and the bathroom on their entirety.

Oh, how he wished he could stay there forever…

Link finished bathing in a few minutes, but he outright refused to leave the waters so soon; they brought him a drowsy yet comforting sensation, reminding him of the fact that he had barely slept in the past three days.

Thinking back on his monumental trip back to the castle, on both Epona's and his own great efforts… Well, he absolutely deserved a few minutes of rest.

_There still remain some hours of daylight; I have just enough time to take a nap and seek Mipha afterwards… right?_

A certain sheikah would soon come to deliver his belongings anyways; he could daze off for a bit in his bath until she came. He doubted she'd take long.

Having made up his mind, he let himself sink further into the waters; now only the tips of his toes and the bottom portion of his face could be seen emerging from the surface.

_Hmm… Having my own bathtub… Definitely one of my best experiences yet…_

Sleep quickly began to take hold of him… 

In no time, the yawns keeping him awake were replaced with peaceful, slow breaths.

"..."

...zzzZz…

  
  


_The radiant sun tanning his face, the warm wind, humidity sponging his hair, muddy terrain under his feet… It all felt too familiar. Then he could clearly see the livestock and flocks of birds surrounding him. Was this really his hometown? There had been no singing of birds that day, no livestock surrounding him, no wind brushing his hair… But it was all here, and then again, it felt too unmistakably familiar, very disturbingly so._

_Everything was made clearer when he turned around to face a fraternal figure: it was his father. Why was he here? Was he sad? Was he angry? ...Or maybe disappointed? Link couldn't tell for certain; his image was blurry, fuzzy, intangible, even if he was standing just in front of him. He was unreachable. But then… He felt comfort. No words exited from his father's mouth, but he sensed them, he could feel them. He was… proud? Why? Was it because he had agreed to become a Champion? Once again, he couldn't tell; all he knew is that he was experiencing pure happiness._

A few light knocks on the front door could be heard.

_Everything then became so light, it was getting harder and harder to hang on… The images began being understood by pure abstraction and no longer by sight. He himself wasn't sure what was going on…_

"...Link?"

_A familiar voice invaded his senses, but he thought he was still dreaming. If the voice belonged to who he thought it did… No, there's no way such an angelical, idyllic presence would choose to visit him out of all people._

_Or choose him for anything at all for that matter._

Then some mildly heavy knocks on the door woke him up.

Link jolted out of his sleep, the intrusive sound scaring him a bit.

_Oh! It's my luggage! Damn, I almost didn't hear her._

"Sorry, come in!" His drowsiness was hidden by the volume of his voice.

He calmly began exiting his bathtub -water dripping everywhere- as he heard the front door opening and closing. There really was no need for him to greet Impa once again, as he had already done so earlier. He could just tell her to leave his stuff without having to quickly dry himself up and leave the bathroom...

"Leave it all near the entrance; I'll do the rest." He said from behind the bathroom door as he slowly reached for a towel.

"Oh…? What do you mean?" A familiarly timid voice answered him.

He froze in place with a look of pure shock and dread on his face when he recognized the true owner of the voice.

Suffice to say, it wasn't Impa.

Link scrubbed his eyes harshly…

He insisted on thinking he was still dreaming.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've a feeling the next chapter will become my new favorite one...
> 
> Thank you for reading this far! Be sure to see today's Nintendo Direct!


	8. Bare

Link remained in his frozen, hidden position behind the bathroom door, his mind racing frantically with a million new thoughts and questions per second; the most important one undoubtedly was:  _ how did she know I was here? _

Maybe it wasn't even her, maybe he just heard wrong, maybe his hazy, drowsy mind was just playing tricks on him... That was more than a certain possibility.

He had to ask, just to be sure.

"...Mipha?" His voice had a slight hint of confusion, shock and timidness.

"Ehm... yes?" The Zora Princess was just as confused as he was. Didn't he recognize her voice?

"Link, it's me...!"

He didn't answer as the realization began to set in: he  _ now _ knew this was no dream.

Suffice to say, he would have never imagined he'd be seeing her again in such strange circumstances.

Mipha started looking for him around his new quarters; she was growing a bit worried. "...Is something the matter?"

He sheepishly looked down.

Well, he was naked. He needed to take care of that -and fast.

Link didn't wait a second longer to begin drying himself up as quickly as he could, almost tripping on the slippery floor in doing so.

"N-No, just don't open the door! I'll be right up!"

_ Oh my… _ Mipha only half paid attention to what he was saying: she had lost herself in the tone of his new, more mature voice. Now that she could listen to him more closely she fully realized it was  _ much _ deeper than she remembered.

She then heard him frantically pacing behind the door that led to the bathroom: his footsteps sounded wet.

The zora realized she may have come at a bad time.

"I'm sorry! Did I interrupt your bath?"

"Not really; I finished a while ago, but then immediately fell asleep in the water."

Mipha airily giggled, worry beginning to dissipate with every tiny laugh. "It's good to know you haven't changed a thing."

Link's heart warmed up with her laugh. "Yeah..."

Mipha then went on to inspect the rest of the room. She was very impressed with everything it had! A private bathroom, a small kitchen, a balcony…  _ This is very different from what he is normally used to, but it is a good change. _

"I must say, your new quarters are pretty impressive!"

"Very. It'll take me some time to stop feeling out of place, though." He threw the towel aside and started to dress up. "About that… How did you know I was here?"

She preferred to keep implicit the fact that she had asked directly for his new address. "...I-Impa told me." 

Link sighed.  _ Of course she told her. _

He felt dumb for not considering that particular yet obvious option before.

"...Should have expected it."

Mipha pictured him facepalming hard; she chuckled a bit at the thought.

She was also relieved Link hadn’t decided to ask further.

"Don't worry, I'm almost done."

"Oh! Don't mind me, Link! Please, take as long as you need." She actually didn't mean this completely as she was  _ dying _ to see him once again. She was so close to doing so...! A stubborn door was the only thing keeping them apart at the moment.

But deep inside she was also scared… If his  _ voice _ had surprised her this much, then what could she expect from  _ seeing _ him?

_ Deep breaths, Mipha; you know Hylian boys' first adolescent change is the deepening of their voice. He most probably is just a bit taller, nothing more. _

"Uh… Mipha?"

"Yes?"

"Can you see my shirt somewhere out there? ...Think I left it on the bed."

The Zora Princess turned around, and surely enough, his white shirt was resting on top of his bed. Near it was also a black gambeson.

"Indeed you did, but do not worry; I'll bring it up to you." She gingerly approached it and picked it up.

_ Huh. Doesn't it seem too big for him...?  _ Mipha held the shirt in front of her.  _ Yes! It definitely is! ...Maybe he now likes loose clothing…? _

She hoped she was right.

"Can you leave it outside the bathroom, on the floor? I'll, uh… quickly open the door and take it. Don't want to make you uncomfortable."

Oh, this boy was going to kill her. Really? How timid had he grown? "Link, I don't know if you remember, but I used to see you shirtless  _ all the time _ around the Domain. I assure you: one more time will do me no harm." She argued in a slightly teasing tone.

Link chuckled with a cough at the childish yet cringey memories she made him relive. "Alright then; I'm opening the door. Be ready."

"Oh, don't be so dramati-"

He opened the door.

"..."

_ Dear Goddesses... _

Her intuition was right all along:

Link was no longer the boy she remembered.

He was now  _ considerably _ taller than her, and was  _ much _ more muscular: every single one of his abdominal muscles were visible from where she stood.

His hair was a bit longer, yet it nevertheless maintained its characteristic blonde shine and, of course, its overall adorable, messy look; his facial features were mostly the same, but were a little sharper and  _ undoubtedly _ more mature now.

And  _ attractive _ . His striking yet gentle blue eyes paired with his light, confident smile were making her pulse run wild.

...She actively suppressed this last line of thought, though. How could she  _ dare _ to think this way of her most beloved friend in all of Hyrule? She will need some time to ponder her new thoughts carefully; for the time being, she remained paralyzed in place as a flurry of conflicting emotions assaulted her mind.

Link instead flushed ever so slightly at Mipha's reaction: her shocked expression and audible gasp told him he had changed far more than she was expecting; it was a weird experience, to say the least. Weird, but charming… He found it hard to return her gaze.

He ignored his feelings and did so anyway: it was his turn to admire his companion.

In his opinion, she was pretty much the same as he remembered. Same radiant scales, same innate grace, same warm, amber gaze.

_ No… _

He studied the Zora Princess further.

_ She is actually more beautiful now. _

Link kept looking at her as if it were the first time he ever laid his eyes on her, all whilst a lovely, familiar warm feeling began spreading across his body; he was so glad to see her once again, more than he was willing to admit.

A few long seconds had to pass for Mipha to realize she had stared at him for an embarrassingly long time; she also finally noticed the way he was looking at her.

The sudden blush surging on her whole face urged her to give him his shirt and get the hell out of there to compose herself.

"U-Uh, here it is!"

"Thanks-"

"N-No problem! Hurry and finish dressing up!" And with that, the incredibly flustered zora hastily shut the door; she then turned around and leaned her whole body against it.

She slowly slid down the wooden surface until softly hitting the cold floor; her face was hidden behind both of her hands.

_ What have I just witnessed…?! _

Link, on the other hand, started laughing a bit: he was genuinely delighted by her reaction.

_ I did warn her, didn't I?  _ He mused as he approached the door even further.

"Did I scare you?"

"...Kind of." Mipha's voice sounded muffled; she still had her hands covering up her face.

"Not what you were expecting?"

"...Not at all."

"In a good or a bad way?"

In a  _ very _ good way, but she wasn't going to word it like that, nor was she going to lie to him.

Her face was burning hot -at least under Zora standards.

"It is… a welcome change. Unexpected, but welcome." Her words were almost inaudible.

"Oh… Good. You, ehm, look exactly like I remember..."

_ Well, obviously; I'm Zora afterall. _

She was slightly hurt by this, even if she knew he was saying the truth.  _ Oh, Link... I'm sorry to disappoint, but if you wished to see any difference you'd have to wait- _

"...Yet somehow much, much prettier."

Mipha did the impossible to hide the shriek that escaped her when hearing his words; she had suffered more than enough embarrassment for today.

_ Why am I reacting like this?! What's wrong with me? _

His few compliments were the only ones that could really move her -and without fail-, but this time they were  _ melting _ her. She did not know why, but they did.

She didn't know how to respond, either.

"..."

Link feared he had perhaps said too much. Had he only made it more awkward for her?

"Ah… Sorry. Forget I said anything, I was just-"

"N-No! It's ok, really!!! I was reminiscing, that's all!" Mipha absolutely hated herself for making Link feel bad, but she really couldn't find the right words to answer him.

_ Just say the truth, Mipha… _

"I... really appreciate your words, Link…" She took a deep breath. "You're too kind."

He began putting on his shirt. "Maybe a bit too much?"

"N... Eh, just a little bit." She did enjoy his compliments, greatly, but they inevitably brought a flush to her whole self, so she thought it'd perhaps be better if he saved them for now.

_ Until I get used to this new Link, that is... _

He chuckled lightly. "Just happy to see you again." Link sat on the floor with his back against the door, unknowing Mipha was in the exact same position behind him.

He started to button up his shirt.

"...I've missed you too, Link. Very much."

"..." 

"I'm also very glad to see you are well. Your departure had me worried, you know?"

"You always did worry too much."

"Perhaps, but I can't help it; not even now that I'm fully aware of how much you have grown."

"Yeah…" He closed his eyes and smiled as he thought back on her reaction. "Gave you quite the scare."

"...That you did."

"..."

A brief moment of pure bliss and silence passed between them. It had been so long since any of them had had a moment like this…

There was nothing to worry about at the moment. They had no immediate tasks, no pending issues, no future meetings to attend to, no expectations to fulfill…

No masks to wear.

Right now they could truly and solely be themselves; it was always this way when the two of them got together. No secrets, no judging, no pretending, no nothing. Their true personalities were laid perfectly bare to one another.

It was something that put both of them at extreme ease. Neither Mipha nor Link had shared this kind of relationship with anyone else before; it really was something special.

Particularly for Link, who has always had a platonic, romantic feeling of sorts for Mipha. In his mind, it merely was a dumb fantasy he idealized when he was younger, nothing that could really come to be, no matter how much his past, childish self desired it.

As such, he never tried to make any advances.

He had never even considered the thought seriously.

"Link...?"

Mipha broke the sacred silence with a question she had been meaning to ask him since the moment she was made aware of his return.

"I must ask... How did everything go?"

"What do you mean?"

"I haven't forgotten the reason why you suddenly 'disappear' every year."

"Oh..." Link couldn't believe she actually remembered; it meant a lot to him.

"Well..." he started. "...it all went surprisingly smoothly. I'd dare to say it has been the greatest birthday father has ever shared with me."

Mipha was taken aback by his answer. She had been expecting it to be sadder in tone, but he sounded genuinely happy… Hopeful, even.

"Seriously? ...What made it that great, if you don't mind my asking?"

"Good weather, an uneventful trip back… But most importantly I, uh… 'discovered' a message of sorts he left for me time ago. It was... very charming."

"Aww! That's wonderful, Link! It makes me tremendously overjoyed to hear it all went well!"

"Thanks. Really. For remembering... And asking."

"It is my pleasure."

Link considered her voice to be particularly beautiful; it felt very… familiar. He could hear her talk all day, everyday without ever getting tired of it.

This almost innate, comforting feeling goes back to his first week of living in Zora's Domain. Those were some…  _ interesting _ times, and that's putting it mildly.

He missed those times. Well, more specifically, he missed the people he got to meet there; they all played an essential role in his childhood.

_ Every single one of them _ , he mused.

It had been quite some time since he last heard of his zora friends, and even more time since he last saw them...

Yes, it was time to ask the longly awaited, nostalgia-driven question.

"Hey… how is everyone back in the Domain?"

Mipha took a second to ponder her answer. "Hm… Being perfectly honest, everyone is pretty much the same; nothing of note has come to pass in the past few years. Father is doing very well -rather busy as of recent, but well nonetheless; Sidon is becoming a greater swimmer by the day and is a little more talkative than you might remember; all members of the so called 'Big Bad Bazz Brigade' are still being a pain for Muzu to deal with..."

_ Oh, the Brigade… _ Link felt somewhat bittersweet as he thought back on a different moment of his childhood with every name Mipha mentioned.

"...And, of course, they all send their regards."

"Even Muzu?"

"Even Muzu." She smiled when remembering her strict mentor. "He will never state it explicitly, but I know in my heart he too wishes you well."

"Doubtful, but I'll take your word on that."

Mipha laughed a bit. "Just trust me."

Out of all of the people Mipha mentioned, Link particularly missed spending time with the little Zora Prince; he still was but an infant when he last saw him.

"Sidon has grown much?"

"I liked to believe he had, but seeing you now… Well, he  _ has _ grown, but it is not like he towers over me or anything like that, unlike a certain someone else." Mipha wore a slightly playful tone; she was beginning to come to terms with Link's new physical appearance. "His tail fin still drags when walking, though."

"I see." Link felt bashful with every mention of his newly acquired height.

"Actually, now that you mention it…"

"Yes...?"

"I want to check our new heights. I'm sure you too must be at least a bit taller."

Mipha quickly stood up as she feared he would be about to open the door. "I'm not so sure about that, Link..."

"Not even a few centimeters?"

"I really doubt it. And even if I were slightly taller, you'd have no way of knowing for sure, would you?"

_ Shit. She's right. _

"..."

"...So?"

"You're right. But I don't care, we're doing it anyways."

Mipha gleefully laughed. While he had changed  _ a lot _ physically, he still was the same person she knew and cared about; it warmed her heart knowing he still was the same Link she met all those years ago.  _ Maybe a little more quiet, but still. _

Link opened the door -this time without warning her. He stopped for a second and looked directly into her eyes with a cautious expression.

She was growing nervous under his gaze. "W-What?"

"You're not going to shut the door on my face this time?"

"P-please, forget that ever happened!"

Link, however, kept eyeing her with feigned suspicion. It was obvious he was just messing with her.

_ Oh, you want to play, huh? _

"Well then, you risk me regretting having agreed to your weird size comparison thing."

Link instantly abandoned his fake, suspicious expression and approached Mipha's side. "Understood. Let's do this quickly then."

She laughed once again at his antics. Thankfully, she was no longer terribly nervous around him.

Link stood directly beside her and began comparing their newly acquired heights; he then gasped in realization and utter surprise: she could barely reach his chin with the top of her head.

"Damn. You weren't exaggerating."

"Not entirely, no."

"Huh..." He kept staring at her and measuring with his hands the sheer distance she now required to jump to see him directly into the eyes.

"Oh, don't tell me you only wanted to shame me for my height..."

"What? No. If I wanted to do that, I'd have done this:"

"Wait, Link…!"

He suddenly picked Mipha up in a strong, bridal-like carry; all she could do was squeak lightly at the unexpected action.

The Zora Princess tightly grabbed Link from his neck, which was entirely covered by his long, blonde hair; he winced a bit in pain as his backside and base of his neck were still relatively sore from Daruk's colossal slap, but he ignored the aching as best as he could. It wasn't that hard, actually: he soon was very distracted by the heartwarming sight of his childhood friend resting on his arms; he was now  _ finally _ able to completely lift her off the ground without any issue.

The feeling of her smooth, white and crimson scales brushing his skin was oddly nice. Therapeutic, even.

Thankfully, Mipha didn't notice his briefly strained expression as she had instantly buried herself into Link's chest; otherwise, her blush would have remained painfully apparent and clearly visible to him.

She hated being publicly carried around in any form or situation, but… Well, no one was around to watch them... So she wasn't complaining. On the contrary, she soon embraced Link even tighter. She was  _ incredibly _ happy to see him again.

Besides, he had a strong, fresh smell of lavender; that was also a welcome factor that made the embrace even more enjoyable.

After what she felt to be a blissful eternity, Link finally let go of the embrace and began putting her down.

"I've always wanted to do that." He said as Mipha let go of her hold on his neck.

Mipha eyed him suspiciously… There was a tiny, miniscule sense of pain -or discomfort- in his voice. Was he hiding something?

"...Is something wrong, Link?"

"It's nothing." He had underestimated Mipha's extreme ability to read and sense emotions in other people.

Her suspicious expression only grew further.

"Really. Don't worry about it."

"Link..." It was no use telling her to not mind his discomfort.

He sighed in defeat.

"Let's just say Daruk was, eh… Rather eager to see me."

_ Oh no. _

"Link. Let me take a look at your back."

Her tone made it seem as if he had no other options, so he sheepishly complied:

he started taking off his shirt with her assistance.

As soon as it began coming down, the Zora Princess recognized in shock the signs of an awfully strong strike on almost  _ all _ of his back. The bruise looked  _ very _ painful.

_ Goddesses… And he just planned on going through the day with it?! _

Link noticed her concerned expression. "Told you. He greeted me a bit too happily."

"Link, his whole hand is printed on your back!"

"Really? Huh... That must look funny."

" _ Funny? _ It looks horrible! Doesn't it hurt?!" She couldn't believe he was being this casual about his injury.

"Well, yeah, but it's nothing I can't handle. Besides, I didn't want to bother you with healing me."

"Link, people come to me  _ daily _ for injuries far lesser than this, and healing them has never once felt like an annoyance-"

"That's because you're too good of a person to feel that way."

_ Oh... _

"But sometimes I get the feeling they're too insistent, too abusive of your powers, even if you yourself don't realize it."

"…"

"I just… don't wish to be like them. I don't want to be of any hindrance or annoyance to you, that's all."

_ Oh, Link... _

She had not heard him speak this much at once in  _ years _ : he really meant all of what he had just said.

Mipha stopped checking his injury to instead try and meet his gaze: his eyes were lost in the stone floor.

"Link… You will never be of any hindrance or annoyance to me.  _ Never _ ." She spoke in an incredibly soft, caring and sincere voice; her hands were involuntarily caressing the few parts of his back that weren't caught in the slap.

"Not even if I were to heal you daily; it brings me great joy and comfort knowing I'm contributing to anyone's health and safety… But it makes me specially euphoric knowing it's yours." Mipha noticed a very light shade of pink forming at the point of his ears, but decided not to comment anything about it.

"Now, please, old friend… Let me take care of your wound; let me take care of you once again."

"..."

Mipha looked at him expectantly: he seemed to be processing her words.

After a few seconds, Link finally looked up, slightly turned his head and partially met her gaze with a bashful expression.

"...Sweet-talker." His light smile had returned.

She giggled with a satisfied smile of her own.

After being successfully done with her persuasive talk, she now realized how much she needed to reach out just to be able to place her hands on his shoulders: it was relatively uncomfortable.

He needed to sit -or lie on his bed- for her to heal him properly:

She chose the most comfortable option for him.

"Now that you have agreed to me healing you, could you be so kind as to lie face down on your bed?"

"Woah. Am I also getting a massage?" His face brightened up.

She blushed a bit. "N-No! Can't you see I can't comfortably reach your shoulders?" Mipha showed him how much she now had to stretch for her hand to reach the upper portion of his back and neck.

"Oh... Right." He sheepishly chuckled before approaching his bed; he threw his shirt on a chair in the kitchen on his way.

Mipha, meanwhile, watched in awe his newly acquired physique: even his back muscles were noticeable. He wasn't swole by any means -he still was as skinny as she remembered- but his musculature was now much, much more visible. It was... very impressive.  _ And eye catching.  _

She'd never put it like that if asked, obviously.

_ He clearly has been working harder recently... _

Link thankfully didn't seem to realize her staring as he settled himself on the bed.

"Huh."

"What is it...?" She feared he had caught her staring.

"The bed… It's surprisingly soft." She hid her thankful sigh with a tiny laugh.

"You hadn't tested it before?"

"No, I headed straight for the bathroom."

She ignored his answer as she gingerly pushed against the bed to test it. He wasn't lying! She thought it still didn't come close to comparing with the commodity of the Domain's water beds, but still, it felt great to the touch.

"It is pretty comfortable, indeed… But I'm honestly more surprised by the fact that you didn't jump straight into it after entering the room." Mipha began climbing into the bed.

Link chuckled at the childish thought. "Don't know how it didn't occur to me at the moment." His voice was a bit muffled by the bedspread.

The Zora Princess was now sitting on his lower back; she had to admit that the sight of Link lying face down with his elbows flared to the sides was rather delightful. Well, it would have been even more delightful if it weren't for a huge, goron handmark splattered on his back.

"Ok, I'm going to begin healing you; it will take just a few minutes."

"Hm… Still, a massage would have been nic-" He suddenly jumped a bit when he felt Mipha's touch.

"Oh no! Did I hurt you?!" Mipha instantly retired her hand in sincere worry.

"...No. I forgot for a minute zora hands were this cold."

"I'm sorry! I'll try warming up my hands first." She was about to head to the bathroom to warm up her hands with some water, but Link interrupted her by lazily raising his hand in protest.

"It's not necessary. They'll get heated with my warmth anyway."

"But that will surely take a bit to happen… Won't it bother you meanwhile?"

"Nah. Your magic will soon keep me warm. Besides… I kind of enjoy the cold, actually."

"..."

_ What had he just meant to say…? _

"...Nevermind."

_ Alright, then. _

Once again, Mipha placed her hands on Link's back: this time he didn't react to her frigid touch. She then softly closed her eyes in extreme focus: her hands started emanating a bright, bluish aura. Link immediately felt her powers surge as a very comforting, warm feeling invaded his thinking mind.

He was thankful he had decided to take a nap before; otherwise, he'd have fallen asleep amidst her healing efforts.

"You seem to be enjoying yourself."

_ Oh no. Was it that obvious? _

"...I am. You're rather soothing."

She chuckled proudly. "I have been told my magic tends to have such an effect on people."

"...Not just your magic."

He then felt her powers grow even further for a brief moment.  _ Huh… Curious. _

_ Let's try that again. _

"Besides, I'm not the only one enjoying it."

Her powers grew even more.

"I've felt you linger around some parts for longer than necessary."

Her magic now felt stronger than ever: he sensed  _ extreme _ warmness radiating from his back. Link had to suppress an embarrassing gasp that suddenly formed in his throat.

"L-Link, stop it!" Mipha finally realized he was testing her powers.

He laughed very weakly: he almost passed out from the lethargic sensation. 

"Don't... worry… got what I deserved." His voice suddenly sounded worryingly tired.

"Are you alright?"

"...Better than ever. Just… Too soothed."

She laughed at his current state. "Serves you right."

Link tried his best to not let the residual warming, narcotic sensation overpower his ability to speak.

"Your powers… They're stronger than I remembered."

"Well, I too had to change in some way, don't you think?"

"Hm… Yeah… It was unexpected, though."

"Are  _ you _ out of all people really telling  _ me _ that?"

He laughed once again, a little bit louder this time. He was beginning to recover his strength.

The Zora Princess carried on with her healing efforts: she was almost done! The impressive flares of power that Link's words caused had actually helped her to speed up the process -and considerably so. She wondered in silence if she could learn to use and control these bursts of power at will… It's not like she would make Link tell her nice things as she was healing someone.

She also discovered some new scars on Link's back that were being hidden by his injury; now that the handmark began disappearing, they were painfully visible. 

Mipha was saddened by them.  _ If only I could have been there… _

When she finished healing him, she softly started tracing a particularly nasty scar with her finger: it had to belong to a Lizalfos ambush. Oh, how much she hated those damn monsters…

"They come with the job. Don't worry about them."

She stubbornly kept on tracing other equally terrible scars. "I know they are inevitable… but that doesn't make me despise them any less."

He understood this very well, better than anyone else; he knew she hated seeing him hurt. That was the sole fact that kept him from impetuously going all out on battle.

He himself didn't care much for the pain, nor the scaring, but seeing her suffer because of his self-destructive behavior? Absolutely not.  _ That _ he couldn't handle.

Mipha finished tracing his past injuries, but still couldn't tear her gaze away from them. "Please, Link, be careful out there..."

"I am. Always. Only for you."

She finally looked up from his back with pure appreciation and emotion in her eyes. "Thank you... Truly."

"It is my pleasure."

She smiled at him with the most candid and warmest of smiles; it was a shame he wasn't able to see it.

"You better not start using my own phrases, though."

Mipha then removed herself from his lower back and sat on the side of the bed, allowing him to stand up. Link, however, remained lying on the bed, all he did was turn his body to the side so he could face her.

"It is said imitation is the purest form of-"

"Come on, Link, don't even finish saying that." She said amidst laughs.

"Thought you liked that sort of… things."

"Indeed I do, but not when they are borderline or  _ outright _ cheesy."

" _ That _ was too cheesy for you?" He then mockingly whistled with feigned surprise. "You've changed."

"You are going to need to try a bit harder next time if you so badly wish to impress me." She immediately gasped and covered her mouth in regret of uttering the challenge; she knew Link would be up to the task with undying determination, almost to the point of obsession.

His look told her he was already looking for impressive, flattery things to say.

"N-No, I didn't mean-"

"Too late. Challenge accepted."

"Oh, for Hylia's sake, Link..." She facepalmed  _ hard _ as she imagined the sorts of silly things he'd be daily telling her now -and all because of her.

Link genuinely  _ adored _ her reactions; he laughed in a way that Mipha hadn't heard in a very long time. It wasn’t noisy by any means, but it still was louder than his usual chuckles and monotone voice.

Naturally, she found endless happiness in knowing her presence caused such an impact on him. That all by itself was much more flattering than anything he could ever say to her.

"Just giving you a hard time. Not going to do it."

Mipha sighed in huge relief. " _ Thank you! _ Oh, how merciful of-"

They then heard a few stern knocks on the door that instantly interrupted their lines of thought. Link was a bit alarmed by the sudden sound, but soon softened his expression in realization. He turned to face Mipha, who had instinctively stood up from the bed.

"Impa." He told her as he noticed the surprise on her face.

"Hey! Baggy luggage coming up!" The impatient Sheikah said whilst giving a few extra knocks on the front door.

"On my way!" Link stood up and started heading for the entrance.

"W-wait! No, Link!!!" Mipha talked in a desperate, loud whisper. "P-Put on your shirt first!!!" Asking Impa for his exact location was extremely embarrassing by itself, but her  _ also  _ catching the Zora Princess with him, in his quarters, alone,  _ and  _ him being shirtless?! ...She wasn’t sure she could live with it.

How could Mipha convince her it wasn’t what it looked like?!

Link, however, only looked at her confused: he didn't see what was wrong with him being shirtless.

"...Why?"

"Don't you understand?! Please, just-"

"Oh!!! Mipha is with ya after all! Good. I also have some urgent news to deliver."

The mortified zora quickly reached for Link's shirt and threw it to him in a frenzy, but it was useless: Impa opened the door before he could put it on.

"..."

Mipha felt like her soul had left her body.

"Thanks Impa."

"No problem. You have fewer stuff than I thought you had."

Mipha wasn't sure what was going on. Why were both of them being so nonchalant about this?! Didn't she notice their state? She  _ had  _ to… Why was there no reaction?!

"Just leave it all there. I'll do the rest."

"Pfft, you really thought I was gonna arrange it all for you?"

"You never know."

"Riiight."

Impa kept dragging the bags into the room -with Link's help, of course. When they were done, she finally took a closer look at the two of them; Mipha still had no clue as to what to think or say.

"Hm. Healing went alright?"

"Yeah. Mipha says the bruise had the shape of his hand."

"Hah! Are you serious?!" Impa turned to face the confused zora.

"Y-Yes! Exactly the same shape."

"Oh, I would have  _ loved _ to see that! Call me next time you heal him from one of Daruk's slaps."

" _Next_ _time_?"

"Well, you know how the goron is."

"..."

"But I digress, didn't come here only to talk about that." The sheikah proceeded to pass on the news with a more serious tone.

"The King has been made aware of you becoming a Champion, Link. He wants to see you all this afternoon at six in the throne room, he's got an urgent message to deliver. A mission of sorts, most probably."

"A mission? What's the objective?" Link asked with clear excitement in his voice.

"Don't know. You'll have to wait and ask the King yourself.'"

Link simply nodded in thought.

"Do you have any other questions?"

Mipha turned to face Link, who only shook his head lightly.

"No, that would be all; thank you, Impa. We will be there."

"I sure hope so.” She gave them a last, long look. “Well then, be seeing you."

She didn't wait for any of them to answer and left the two Champions alone once again, closing the door behind her as she exited the room.

Link watched Mipha clearly deflate as soon as Impa left the picture. He still didn't get why she was all flustered and mortified moments before.

"...What was that all about?"

_ Oh, Link… Bless your innocence... _

Mipha really didn't want to explain it word by word  _ -or at all. _ She felt dirty when she realized she was the only one who had thought of the most probable misinterpretation of their circumstances.

Nevertheless, she was extremely thankful Impa didn't see it that way.

"I-It was an exaggeration, nothing more."

The zora was actively avoiding his gaze, and Link realized it. A blush was beginning to form on her cheeks.

_ Now _ Link was truly intrigued: he didn't quit his obvious staring.

The Zora Princess partially met his gaze but instantly averted it again when she saw he was still expecting an answer.

"I-I'm begging you, please, let's drop the topic for now… I promise I will tell you my reasoning some other day."

"Hm…" He saw how extremely uncomfortable she was... As much as he wanted to know what was so wrong with his action, he decided to give her a break for the time being.

He stubbornly kept trying to decipher her flustering in the back of his mind though.

"Alright. Some other time then." He finally began putting on his shirt.

"Y-yes! Thank you…!" She then went on to quickly change the subject. "M-Meanwhile, let's think about what to do for the rest of the day. We still have a considerable amount of time until we meet with the other Champions."

"Oh, yeah..." He hadn't realized they still had more than a few hours to spare.

"Do you have any ideas?"

Oh,  _ indeed _ he had. He knew exactly where he would be going once he finished doing all of his pending tasks; the fact that Mipha would be accompanying him only made his excitement grow even further.

"Well... The bakery smelled nice. Thoughts?"

Mipha giggled at Link's amazing and eternal love for all things culinary. "I really should have been expecting you would be in the mood for food."

"Always am." That was undeniably true, and everyone close to Link knew it.

"Very well, we can start with the bakery." She started heading for the door.

" _ Start?" _ His stomach loudly growled in anticipation. "I like how you think." He then went on to reach for his satchel and gambeson, quickly putting on both of them.

"Let's make haste, then." He eyed his bed one last time before heading for the front door with Mipha: it was all messy from her healing efforts moments before. Pillows everywhere, the bed sheets wrinkled... It seemed as of something entirely different had happened the-

_ Waaait a minute. _

_ Wait wait. _

_ This was the reason behind her flustering? _

_ Was… Was she implying this…? _

He finally connected the dots.

"..."

"Link?" She noticed he hadn’t followed her outside; he also didn't respond as he became too mysteriously entranced by the bed. She carefully approached him from behind and soon noticed a strong blush on his face.

_ Oh no. Nonono. _

She really had hoped he would forget about the whole ordeal, she had been expecting his hunger to be enough distraction… But it wasn’t.

Fate wasn’t feeling particularly merciful at the moment.

"I get it now. Your flustering."

"..."

“You  _ really  _ had your reasons...”

“...Yes.”

"...Sorry I didn't see it earlier."

_ Oh? Maybe this isn’t going to be so bad afterall! _

"Is there something on your mind you want to t-"

"DON'T YOU DARE FINISH THAT SENTENCE."

Link had never seen her cheeks turn to  _ that  _ shade of pink before.

From her squeak though, he knew he would be the one paying for the pancakes today.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter took longer than expected to complete, but it was time well spent! I had been looking forward to write about those two finally reuniting.
> 
> Also, I'm going to start writing slightly longer chapters from now on; hopefully you'll enjoy them as much as I do.
> 
> Thank you all for reading!


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